Compositions and methods for deploying a transgenic refuge seed blend

ABSTRACT

Methods and compositions for deploying refuge seeds with transgenic crop seeds comprising event MON 87411 are provided. The refuge seeds can be non-transgenic seeds of a similar variety to that of the transgenic crop seeds, or the refuge seeds can be a transgenic variety, but lack event MON 87411 found in the transgenic crop seeds and serve as a refuge thereto.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/821,227, filed May 8, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING

The sequence listing contained in the file named “MONS334US_ST25.txt”, which is 229 kilobytes (size as measured in Microsoft Windows®) and was created on Apr. 24, 2014, is filed herewith by electronic submission and is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to seed blends of transgenic crops comprising Zea mays event MON 87411 and refugia seeds. The invention also relates to the control of pests that cause damage to crop plants, for instance through feeding. Transgenic crops of the present invention comprising Zea mays event MON 87411 exhibit dual modes of action for resistance to corn rootworm infestations and tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The deployment of an insect “refuge” is an important part of insect resistance management (IRM) for transgenic pest resistant crops. Governmental agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States, require that transgenic insect resistant crops be planted along with or along side a refuge crop.

Corn (Zea mays) is an important crop in many areas of the world, and the methods of biotechnology have been applied to this crop in order to produce corn with desirable traits. The expression of an insect resistance or herbicide tolerance transgene in a plant can confer the desirable traits of insect resistance and/or herbicide tolerance on the plant, but expression of such transgenes may be influenced by many different factors including the orientation and composition of the cassettes driving expression of the individual genes transferred to the plant chromosome, and the chromosomal location and the genomic result of the transgene insertion. For example, there can be variation in the level and pattern of transgene expression among individual events that are otherwise identical except for the chromosomal insertion site of the transgene. There may also be undesirable phenotypic or agronomic differences between some events. Therefore, it is often necessary to produce and analyze a large number of individual plant transformation events in order to select an event having superior properties relative to the desirable trait and the optimal phenotypic and agricultural characteristics necessary to make it suitable for commercial purposes. Such selection often requires extensive molecular characterization as well as greenhouse and field trials with many events over multiple years, in multiple locations, and under a variety of conditions so that a significant amount of agronomic, phenotypic, and molecular data may be collected. The resulting data and observations must then be analyzed by teams of scientists and agronomists with the goal of selecting a commercially suitable event. Once selected, such an event may then be used for introgressing the desirable trait into other genetic backgrounds using plant breeding methods, and thus producing a number of different crop varieties that contain the desirable trait and are suitably adapted to specific local growing conditions.

To make a transgenic plant containing a single transformation event, a portion of a recombinant DNA construct is transferred into the genome of a corn cell, and the corn cell is subsequently grown into a plant. A corn cell into which the event is initially transferred is regenerated to produce the R₀ generation. The R₀ plant and progeny plants from the R₀ plant can be tested for any desired trait(s), but the effectiveness of the event can be impacted by cis and/or trans factors relative to the integration site in the transformation event. The phenotype conferred by the event can also be impacted by the size and design of the DNA construct, which can vary by the combination of genetic elements in an expression cassette, number of transgenes, number of expression cassettes, and configuration of such elements and such cassettes. Identifying an event with desirable traits can be further complicated by factors such as plant developmental, diurnal, temporal, or spatial patterns of transgene expression; or by extrinsic factors, e.g., environmental plant growth conditions, water availability, nitrogen availability, heat, or stress. Thus, the ability to obtain an event conferring a desirable set of phenotypic traits is not readily predictable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention provides, a seed blend comprising refuge crop seeds and at least one variety of transgenic crop seeds in a uniform mixture, wherein the mixture consists of from about 80% to about 99% first transgenic crop seed, wherein the first transgenic crop seed comprises event MON 87411 and the refuge crop seed does not comprise said event MON 87411, and wherein a representative sample of seed comprising the event MON 87411 has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-12669. In one embodiment, the mixture consists of about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99% first transgenic crop seed. In another embodiment, the mixture consists of from about 1% to about 20%, from about 1% to about 10%, from about 1% to about 5%, from about 2% to about 20%, from about 2% to about 10%, from about 2% to about 5%, from about 5% to about 20%, from about 5% to about 10%, or from about 10% to about 20% refuge crop seeds.

In a further embodiment, the seed blend of the invention comprises a refuge crop seed that is transgenic. In yet a further embodiment, the refuge crop seeds and the at least one variety of transgenic crop seeds comprise a transgene that confers tolerance to at least a first herbicide for instance dicamba, 2,4-D, glyphosate and glufosinate. In still a further embodiment, the first transgenic crop seed comprises at least one additional transgenic event that confers pest resistance, and wherein the refuge crop seed does not comprise the additional transgenic event. In another embodiment, additional transgenic event confers resistance to a lepidopteran pest. In still another embodiment, the additional transgenic event is selected from the group consisting of MON810, MON 89034, TC1507, DAS-06275-8, MIR162, BT176, and BT11. In a further embodiment, the additional transgenic event confers resistance to a coleopteran pest. In yet further embodiment, the additional transgenic event is selected from the group consisting of DAS-59122-7, MIR604, and 5307.

In another aspect, the invention provides a population of plants produced by growing the seed blend of the invention. In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method for producing a refuge crop seed blend comprising: a) blending a first transgenic crop seed comprising event MON 87411 with a refuge crop seed lacking said event MON 87411; and b) ensuring a uniform mixture of the first transgenic crop seed and the refuge crop seed is provided, wherein the mixture consists of from about 80% to about 99% first transgenic crop seed, and wherein a representative sample of seed comprising event MON 87411 has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-12669. In still another aspect, the invention provides a method for deploying a refuge crop in a field of transgenic pest resistant crops comprising: a) obtaining a seed blend of the invention; and b) planting said seed blend in a field.

The inventors have identified a transgenic corn event MON 87411 exhibiting superior properties and performance compared to existing transgenic corn plants and to new events constructed in parallel. The corn event MON 87411 contains three linked expression cassettes which collectively confer the traits of corn rootworm resistance and glyphosate herbicide tolerance to corn cells, corn tissues, corn seed and corn plants containing the transgenic event MON 87411. The corn event MON 87411 provides two modes of action against corn rootworm pest species (including Diabrotica spp., especially when the pest is Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Western Corn Rootworm, WCR), Diabrotica barberi (Northern Corn Rootworm, NCR), Diabrotica virgifera zeae (Mexican Corn Rootworm, MCR), Diabrotica balteata (Brazilian Corn Rootworm (BZR) or Brazilian Corn Rootworm complex (BCR) consisting of Diabrotica viridula and Diabrotica speciosa), or Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardii (Southern Corn Rootworm, SCR)). Dual modes of action provide redundancy and reduces significantly the likelihood of the development of resistance to the pest control traits.

The event MON 87411 is characterized by specific unique DNA segments that are useful in detecting the presence of the event in a sample. A sample is intended to refer to a composition that is either substantially pure corn DNA or a composition that contains corn DNA. In either case, the sample is a biological sample, i.e., it contains biological materials, including but not limited to DNA obtained or derived from, either directly or indirectly, from the genome of corn event MON 87411. “Directly” refers to the ability of the skilled artisan to directly obtain DNA from the corn genome by fracturing corn cells (or by obtaining samples of corn that contain fractured corn cells) and exposing the genome DNA for the purposes of detection. “Indirectly” refers to the ability of the skilled artisan to obtain the target or specific reference DNA, i.e. a novel and unique junction segment described herein as being diagnostic for the presence of the event MON 87411 in a particular sample, by means other than by direct via fracturing of corn cells or obtaining a sample of corn that contains fractured corn cells. Such indirect means include but are not limited to amplification of a DNA segment that contains the DNA sequence targeted by a particular probe designed to bind with specificity to the target sequence, or amplification of a DNA segment that can be measured and characterized, i.e. measured by separation from other segments of DNA through some efficient matrix such as an agarose or acrylamide gel or the like, or characterized by direct sequence analysis of the amplicon or cloning of the amplicon into a vector and direct sequencing of the inserted amplicon present within such vector. Alternatively, a segment of DNA corresponding to the position within the corn chromosome at which the transgenic DNA was inserted into the corn chromosome and which can be used to define the event MON 87411, can be cloned by various means and then identified and characterized for its presence in a particular sample or in a particular corn genome. Such DNA segments are referred to as junction segments or sequences, and can be any length of inserted DNA and adjacent (flanking) corn chromosome DNA so long as the point of joining between the inserted DNA and the corn genome is included in the segment. SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:21 and the reverse complement of each of these are representative of such segments.

The specific sequences identified herein may be present uniquely in event MON 87411, or the construct comprised therein, and the identification of these sequences, whether by direct sequence analysis, by detecting probes bound to such sequences, or by observing the size and perhaps the composition of particular amplicons described herein, when present in a particular corn germplasm or genome and/or present in a particular biological sample containing corn DNA, are diagnostic for the presence of the event MON 87411, or the construct comprised therein, in such sample. It is known that the flanking genomic segments (i.e., the corn genome segments of DNA sequence adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA) are subject to slight variability and as such, the limitation of at least 99% or greater identity is with reference to such anomalies or polymorphisms from corn genome to corn genome. Nucleotide segments that are completely complementary across their length in comparison to the particular diagnostic sequences referenced herein are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.

The position of the nucleotide segments of the present invention relative to each other and within the corn genome are illustrated in FIG. 3 and the nucleotide sequence of each is illustrated as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1. Nucleotide segments that characterize the event MON 87411 and which are diagnostic for the presence of event MON 87411, or the construct comprised therein, in a sample include SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, and SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, or SEQ ID NO:52. These presence of one, or two, or more of these nucleotide sequences in a sample, when such sample contains corn tissue and thus corn DNA, are diagnostic for the presence of the event MON 87411, or the construct comprised therein.

It is intended by use of the word “derived”, that a particular DNA molecule is in the corn plant genome, or is capable of being detected in corn plant DNA. “Capable of being detected” refers to the ability of a particular DNA segment to be amplified and its size and or sequence characterized or elucidated by DNA sequence analysis, and can also refer to the ability of a probe to bind specifically to the particular DNA segment, i.e. the target DNA segment, and the subsequent ability to detect the binding of the probe to the target. The particular DNA segment or target DNA segment of the present invention is present within corn that contains the insertion event MON 87411.

By reference to corn it is intended that corn cells, corn seed, corn plant parts and corn plants are within the scope of the present invention so long as each embodiment contains a detectable amount of DNA corresponding to any one, two, or more of the segments that are described herein as being diagnostic for the presence of the corn event MON 87411 DNA. Corn plant parts include cells; pollen; ovules pods; flowers and flower parts such as the cob, silk, and tassel; root tissue; stem tissue; and leaf tissue. Commodity products that are made from corn in which a detectable amount of the segments of DNA described herein as being diagnostic for the presence of the event MON 87411 are within the scope of the invention. Such commodity products may include whole or processed corn seeds, animal feed containing corn or corn by-products, corn oil, corn meal, corn flour, corn starch, corn flakes, corn bran, corn biomass and stover, and fuel products and fuel by-products when made from corn or corn plants and plant parts.

The DNA of corn event MON 87411 is typically present in each cell and in each chromosome of the corn plant, corn seed, and corn tissues containing the event. As the corn genome is transmitted to progeny in Mendelian fashion, if a corn plant were homozygous, each progeny corn plant and cell would contain the event DNA on each of the parental chromosomes generated to the progeny from the parent(s). However, if the corn genome containing the event MON 87411 DNA is a heterozygous or hybrid parent, then only fifty percent of the pollen and fifty percent of the ovules engaged in mating from hybrid parents will contain the corn event MON 87411 DNA, resulting in a mixed population of progeny that contain the event MON 87411 DNA, and the percentage of such progeny arising from such crosses with hybrids can range anywhere from about fifty to about seventy five percent having the event MON 87411 DNA transmitted to such progeny.

The DNA molecules of the present invention may be unique to the corn event MON 87411 inserted DNA or the two junctions between the transgenic inserted DNA and the corn genome DNA that is adjacent to either end of the inserted DNA. These molecules, when present in a particular sample analyzed by the methods described herein using the probes, primers and in some cases using DNA sequence analysis, may be diagnostic for the presence of an amount of event MON 87411 corn in that sample. Such DNA molecules unique to the corn event MON 87411 DNA can be identified and characterized in a number of ways, including by use of probe nucleic acid molecules designed to bind specifically to the unique DNA molecules followed by detection of the binding of such probes to the unique DNA, and by thermal amplification methods that use at least two different DNA molecules that act as probes but the sequence of such molecules may be somewhat less specific than the probes described above. The skilled artisan understands that contacting a particular target DNA with a probe or primer under appropriate hybridization conditions will result in the binding of the probe or primer to the targeted DNA segment.

The DNA molecules of the present invention that are target segments of DNA are capable of amplification and, when detected as one or more amplicons of the represented length obtained by amplification methods of a particular sample, may be diagnostic for the presence of event MON 87411, or the construct comprised therein, in such sample. Such DNA molecules or polynucleotide segments have the nucleotide sequences as set forth in each of, SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, and SEQ ID NO:52, and are further defined herein and in the examples below. Primer molecules and/or probes may be provided in kit form along with the necessary reagents, including controls, and packaged together with instructions for use.

Recombinant DNA molecules of the present invention are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention when present within or derived from a microorganism. A microorganism is intended to include any microscopic cell, whether prokaryote or eukaryote or otherwise that contains DNA within a genome or chromosome or an extra-chromosomal DNA structure more commonly referred to as a plasmid or vector. Microscopic organisms include bacteria (prokaryotes) and cells corresponding to higher life forms (eukaryotes) which are beneath the visual range of the average human, typically beneath fifty cubic microns and more generally beneath ten cubic microns. Bacteria are common microscopic microorganisms that more likely than not could contain a vector or plasmid that contains one or more or all of the novel DNA segments of the present invention, including each of the respective expression cassettes present as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1. Plant cells and particularly corn plant cells are within the scope of the invention when these contain any one, two, or more or all of the novel DNA segments of the present invention.

Probes for use herein are typically characterized as DNA molecules or polynucleotide segments of sufficient length to function under stringent hybridization conditions as defined herein to bind with a particular target DNA segment, i.e., a unique segment of DNA present within and diagnostic for the presence of, event MON 87741 DNA in a sample. Such a probe can be designed to bind only to a single junction or other novel sequence present only in the corn event MON 87411 DNA, or to two or more such single junction segments. In any event, the detection of the binding of such a probe to a DNA molecule in a particular sample suspected of containing corn DNA is diagnostic for the presence of corn event MON 87411 in the sample.

Primers are typically provided as pairs of different oligonucleotides or polynucleotide segments for use in a thermal amplification reaction which amplifies a particular DNA target segment. Each primer in the pair is designed to bind to a rather specific segment of DNA within or near to a segment of DNA of interest for amplification. The primers bind in such way that these then act as localized regions of nucleic acid sequence polymerization resulting in the production of one or more amplicons (amplified target segments of DNA). In the present invention, use of primers designed to bind to unique segments of corn event MON 87411 DNA in a particular biological sample and that amplify particular amplicons containing one or more of the junction segments described herein, and the detection and or characterization of such amplicons upon completion or termination of the polymerase reaction, is diagnostic for the presence of the corn event MON 87411 in the particular sample. The skilled artisan is well familiar with this amplification method and no recitation of the specifics of amplification is necessary here.

Corn plants, corn plant cells, corn plant tissues and corn seed are insensitive to glyphosate herbicide applications due to expression of a glyphosate insensitive CP4 EPSPS enzyme from a rice Rcc3 promoter in an expression cassette at the 3′ distal end as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1. Such seed may be sown into a field. Several days after germination and the appearance of shoots, a weed controlling effective amount of glyphosate herbicide may be applied, which will eliminate substantially all of the weeds in the field but will allow for the continued growth and development of corn plants containing the corn event MON 87411 DNA. The plants are also resistant to infestation by corn rootworms of all known species of rootworm Diabrotica, including but not limited to Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Western Corn Rootworm, WCR), Diabrotica barberi (Northern Corn Rootworm, NCR), Diabrotica virgifera zeae (Mexican Corn Rootworm, MCR), Diabrotica balteata (Brazilian Corn Rootworm (BZR) or Brazilian Corn Rootworm complex (BCR) consisting of Diabrotica viridula and Diabrotica speciosa), and Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardii (Southern Corn Rootworm, SCR). The resistance to Diabrotica species arises in connection with the expression of two different DNA segments that are operably and covalently linked within the inserted transgenic DNA: a dsRNA is transcribed from the expression cassette at the 5′ proximal end of the inserted transgenic DNA as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 and as illustrated in FIG. 1 by the position of [G] SEQ ID NO:12, and targets for suppression an essential gene in corn rootworms; and a coleopteran toxic Cry3Bb protein is expressed from an expression cassette (approximately centered in SEQ ID NO:1 as shown in FIG. 1 by the position of [H] SEQ ID NO: 14) centered between the cassette expressing dsRNA [G] and the cassette at the 3′ distal end of the inserted transgenic DNA as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 (a glyphosate tolerance expression cassette illustrated in FIG. 1 by [I] SEQ ID NO:16). The dsRNA targets for suppression a yeast orthologous gene referred to as snf7 and is expressed from a CAMV e35S promoter, while the Cry3Bb protein is expressed from a Zea mays PIIG promoter. The dsRNA and the Cry3Bb protein are agents toxic to corn rootworm species.

The promoters driving expression of the dsRNA and Cry3Bb toxic agents are divergently positioned so that expression from each promoter of the respective toxic agent is away from a point centered between the two promoters, i.e., transcription of each expression cassette proceeds in opposite directions and does not converge. The glyphosate tolerance CP4 EPSPS expression cassette is downstream of, i.e. proximal to the 3′ end as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 and 3′ distal to the cassette driving expression of the Cry3Bb protein. The cassettes driving expression of Cry3Bb and EPSPS produce their respective proteins using a tandem orientation of transcription, Cry3Bb upstream of the EPSPS, and transcribed in the same orientation, but each from their separate respective promoters. Leaving the dsRNA expression cassette and the glyphosate tolerance cassette intact and positioned at the distal ends of the DNA segment intended for insertion into the corn genome, other variant constructs were produced in which the orientation of the Cry3Bb cassette was inverted or reversed relative to the design present in the event MON 87411 DNA. These variant constructs utilized the Zea mays PIIG promoter or a rice Rcc3 promoter to drive expression of Cry3Bb.

Transgenic events containing only these variant constructs/orientations of the Cry3Bb expression cassette were compared to the event MON 87411 and to the currently available commercial events MON863 (containing only a Cry3Bb expression cassette), MON88017 (containing a Cry3Bb expression cassette operably linked to a CP4 EPSPS expression cassette), and DAS-59122-7 (containing three operably linked expression cassettes, two expressing in tandem the dual Bt toxin components Cry34 and Cry35 along with a gene conferring glufosinate tolerance). The results as illustrated below in the examples show that the event MON 87411 exhibited superior properties for root directed expression of the Cry3Bb protein and the plurality of transgenic events produced using the construct used for generating the event MON 87411 were each more likely than other events produced with other constructs to exhibit efficacious control of corn rootworms.

Corn plants of the present invention and parts thereof including seed, each containing the DNA corresponding to event MON 87411, are within the scope of the present invention. Such plants are resistant to corn rootworm infestation and are insensitive to applications of the herbicide glyphosate. Such plants include hybrids containing only one MON 87411 allele, i.e., a genome characterized as heterozygous with reference to the locus corresponding to the event MON 87411 DNA. Such hybrids are produced by breeding with desirable germplasm to insure hybrid vigor and other agriculturally desirable properties of corn. Hybrids may be produced by any number of methods but a preferred method takes advantage of a first inbred (homozygous) parent that contains the event MON 87411 specific allele on both chromosomes at the locus at which the event MON 87411 DNA is inserted, and breeding the first inbred together with a second inbred which does not contain the MON 87411 DNA. Both parental inbred varieties will have one or more advantageous properties desirable in the progeny seed, i.e. the hybrid seed.

A transgenic property or allele conferring some additional trait to a plant containing the event MON 87411 DNA is particularly desirable. Such transgenic alleles include other transgenic events conferring corn rootworm resistance, including but not limited to events such as DAS-59122-7; MIR604; and 5307. Each of these events provides a supplemental corn rootworm toxic agent (DAS-59122-7 provides PS149B1 (Cry34/Cry35) exhibiting rootworm toxic properties and herbicide tolerance to glufosinate; MIR604 provides a modified Cry3Aa exhibiting rootworm toxic properties; event 5307 provides FR8a gene exhibiting rootworm toxic properties). Providing additional corn rootworm resistance traits such as these may decrease the likelihood of the development of resistance to any one of the corn rootworm toxic agents provided. Other desirable traits include yield and stress resistance or tolerance traits, nitrogen fixation traits, traits modulating the use of water, resistance to fungal infestation, resistance to herbicides such as dicamba (MON 87427), glufosinate, and the like, as well as resistance to lepidopteran infestations. Lepidopteran infestation resistance traits have been provided in the art and include the transgenic corn events (and respective lepidopteran active proteins) MON810 (Cry1Ab), MON 89034 (Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab); TC1507 (Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa); DAS-06275-8 also known as TC-6275 (Cry1Fa and bar (providing glufosinate tolerance)); MIR162 (Vip3Aa), BT176 (Cry1Ab); and BT11 (Cry1Ab).

An alternative to providing any combination or all of these traits in a single plant, particularly the insect resistance traits corresponding to the event MON 87411 traits, the other listed corn rootworm resistance traits, or the lepidopteran resistance traits, would be to provide these in various combinations of seed blends, in which certain seed in the blend contain the MON 87411 traits and some combination of only the listed coleopteran resistance traits and act together below the ground to prevent infestations of corn rootworms, while other seed in the blend contain only the lepidopteran resistance traits and confer resistance to lepidopteran infestations of corn above the ground. In this way, the seed in the blend provide refuge for each other, i.e. the coleopteran protected seed and plants act as a refuge for the plants conferring lepidopteran resistance, and vice versa. Typically however, these traits would be provided in some trait combination or package in which the MON 87411 traits would be provided together in a single plant by breeding with one or more of the lepidopteran resistance traits to provide a complete package of pest resistance to the crop in the field, and a small percentage of the seed (perhaps between 1 and 20 percent or any number in between including 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 percent) would be traited only for herbicide tolerance and would lack any pest protection traits and would be planted into the field in a mix randomly with the pest resistance traited seed or as a structured (separate) stand of crops would act as a refuge both for the pests that attack corn plants above the ground and pests that attack corn plants below the ground.

In one aspect, the invention therefore provides a method of protecting a field of corn plants comprising cultivating a field of corn plants comprised of from about 50 to about 100 percent of corn plants comprising corn event MON 87411.

The construct inserted into the event MON 87411 provides particular advantages relative to the EPSPS expression cassette. First, the presence of this cassette provides for ease of selection of the transgenic events into which the construct has been inserted. Second, the cassette provides for control of weeds in a field into which seed corresponding to event MON 87411 have been planted. The field containing such MON 87411 plants can be sprayed with an effective amount of glyphosate to control the growth of weeds in the field that are susceptible to glyphosate. For weeds that are not susceptible to glyphosate as noted above, other transgenic events that provide for tolerance to other herbicides such as to dicamba or to glufosinate can be bred into a single hybrid along with the event MON 87411, thus providing an efficient means for controlling weeds in a field by applying two or more of the herbicides glyphosate, dicamba, or glufosinate, as the likelihood that weeds would be present that exhibit tolerance to two or more of these herbicides would be unlikely, and in such case, the corn crop would consist of hybrids that exhibit resistance to such applications of herbicide combinations.

In one aspect, the invention provides a DNA molecule comprising (a) the recombinant polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:12; and (b) the recombinant polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:14; and (c) the recombinant polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:16, wherein said recombinant polynucleotide sequences are linked together by phosphodiester linkage. In one embodiment, the DNA molecule comprises SEQ ID NO:4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical representation of the transgenic insert in the genome of corn event MON 87411: [A] represents SEQ ID NO:1, which is the contiguous sequence of the transgenic DNA insert integrated into the genome of corn LH244 and 5′ and 3′ genomic DNA flanking the inserted DNA; [B] and [C] correspond to the relative positions of SEQ ID NOs:2 and 3, which form the 5′ and 3′ transgene/genomic DNA junction sequences of event MON 87411, respectively; [D] represents SEQ ID NO:4, which is the sequence of the transgenic DNA insert integrated into the genome resulting in event MON 87411; [E] corresponds to the relative positions of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO:7, each spanning the 5′ junction between the terminal ends of the transgenic inserted DNA and the flanking genomic DNA; [F] corresponds to the relative positions of SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10, each spanning the 3′ junction between the terminal ends of the transgenic inserted DNA and the flanking genomic DNA; [G], [H] and [I] respectively represent the three different expression cassettes corresponding to the transgenic DNA construct inserted into the corn plant genome resulting in event MON 87411; [J], and [K] represent oligonucleotide primers, oligonucleotide probes, and DNA amplicons corresponding to the junctions of event MON 87411.

FIG. 2 illustrates eleven different DNA constructs, (417, 416, 418, 419, 402, 403, 404, 423, 405, 406, and 890) engineered to express up to three distinct cassettes, including two plant-incorporated protectant (PIP) cassettes, targeting Western corn rootworm (WCR), and a single herbicide tolerance cassette. The two PIP cassettes include (a) an expression cassette for a Dv_Snf7o 240-mer inverted repeat, and (b) an expression cassette for a Cry3Bb protein. Each of the constructs depicted comprise these expression cassettes in varying order and orientation. Constructs 405 and 406 contain no herbicide tolerance cassette and construct 890 comprises only a single expression cassette for a Dv_Snf7o 240-mer inverted repeat. The three constructs comprise a total of sixteen genetic elements from the Left Border (LB) through to the Right Border (RB): [1] LB; [2] Ps.RbcS2-E9 3′ UTR; [3] 240-mer Dv_Snf7o inverted repeat gene; [4] Corn DnaK intron; [5] CaMV 35S leader; [6] eCaMV 35S promoter; [7] Corn PIIG promoter; [8] Wheat Lhcb1 leader; [9] Rice Act1 intron; [10] cry3Bb ORF; [11] Wheat Hsp17 3′ UTR; [12] Rice TubA (promoter, leader, intron); [13] CTP; [14] CP4 EPSPS; [15] Rice TubA 3′ UTR; and [16] RB.

FIG. 3 [A]-[N] and [aa]-[mm] illustrate the operably linked elements and flanking corn genome and their position relative to each other as these are presented within the transgenic DNA insertion position in the corn event MON 87411 genome. The following descriptions identify the composition, function and position for each of the elements as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

[A] nucleotide position 1-500 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to corn genome DNA adjacent to the transgenic inserted DNA in corn event MON 87411, which in this case is arbitrarily assigned as the 5′ end of the transgenic inserted DNA.

[B] nucleotide position 807-1439 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the reverse complement sequence of a Pisum sativum ribulose bis phosphate carboxylase small subunit E9 3′ transcription termination and polyadenylation signal.

[C] nucleotide position 1469-2098 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the reverse complement sequence designed to be expressed as an RNA molecule that folds into a 240 nucleotide dsRNA and 150 nucleotide hairpin structure that is designed to target for suppression the Diabrotica species orthologue of a yeast gene encoding an Snf7 protein when provided in the diet of a Diabrotica species. A first 240 nucleotide segment corresponding to a portion of the Diabrotica snf7 orthologous gene is provided at nucleotide position 1469-1708 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, a second 240 nucleotide segment corresponding to the reverse complement of the first segment is set forth at nucleotide position 1850-2098 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, and the first and the second segments are operably linked by a 150 nucleotide spacer at nucleotide position 1709-1858 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

[D] nucleotide position 2135-2938 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the reverse complement sequence of an intron derived from a Zea mays dnaK gene.

[E] nucleotide position 2839-3298 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the reverse complement of a Cauliflower mosaic virus enhanced 35S promoter sequence and an untranslated 5′ leader sequence. This promoter, the associated untranslated leader, the intron element [D] and the transcription termination and polyadenylation element [B] regulate the expression of element [C] in corn plant cells.

[F] nucleotide position 3586-4534 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to a promoter sequence derived from a Zea mays physical impedance induced protein gene (Zm.PIIG). This promoter, the associated untranslated leader [G], the intron element [H] and the transcription termination and polyadenylation element [J] regulate the expression of element [I]. This promoter is oriented relative to the promoter [E] such that each promoter ([E] and [F]) will drive divergent expression of their respective elements ([C] and [I]) (see block arrows in FIG. 2 where the arrows are representative of the respective promoters ([E] and [F]) in the indicated direction of expression from the respective promoter).

[G] nucleotide position 4541-4601 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to an untranslated 5′ leader sequence derived from a Triticum aestivum light harvesting complex b1 gene (Ta.Lhcb1).

[H] nucleotide position 4618-5097 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to an intron sequence derived from an Oryza sativa Actin-1 gene (Os.Act1).

[I] nucleotide position 5107-7068 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the nucleotide sequence encoding a Cry3Bb corn rootworm toxic protein (cry3Bb). The encoded Cry3Bb protein is pesticidal when provided in the diet of a Diabrotica (corn rootworm) species.

[J] nucleotide position 7088-7297 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the sequence of a Triticum aestivum heat shock protein 17 (HSP17) transcription termination and polyadenylation signal.

[K] nucleotide position 7346-9526 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to a contiguous promoter-leader-intron sequence derived from an Oryza sativa alpha tubulin-3 gene (TubA-3). This promoter, with the associated leader and intron, and the transcription termination and polyadenylation element [M] regulate the expression of element [L].

[L] nucleotide position 9531-11126 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to sequence of an Arabidopsis thaliana cytoplasmic targeting peptide (CTP; from nucleotide position 9531-9758), and a sequence of an EPSPS derived from Agrobacterium CP4 (from nucleotide position 9759-11126). When this sequence is transcribed and translated into protein in a corn plant cell, the CTP is operably linked to the EPSPS. When expressed in corn plant cells comprising event MON 87411, this CTP-EPSPS provides tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate.

[M] nucleotide position 11134-11715 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the sequence of an Oryza sativa alpha tubulin-3 gene (TubA-3) transcription termination and polyadenylation signal.

[N] nucleotide position 11749-12248 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to corn genome DNA adjacent to the transgenic inserted DNA in corn event MON 87411, which in this case is arbitrarily assigned as the 3′ end of the transgenic inserted DNA.

[aa] nucleotide position 501-806 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the portion of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens octopine left border sequence of the 417 construct adjacent to the genome at the arbitrarily assigned 5′ end of the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411. The 5′ end of [aa] as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [A] to form the unique 5′ transgenic inserted DNA/corn genome junction encompassed by SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:21. The 3′ end of element [aa] is linked to the 5′ end of element [B] to form a unique junction within the transgenic inserted DNA that is encompassed by SEQ ID NO:41.

[bb] nucleotide position 1440-1468 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [B] and [C]. The 5′ end of [bb] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [B], and the 3′ end of element [bb] is linked to the 5′ end of element [C] to form a unique junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:42, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411.

[cc] nucleotide position 2099-2134 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [C] and [D]. The 5′ end of [cc] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [C], and the 3′ end of element [cc] is linked to the 5′ end of element [D] to form a unique junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:43, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411.

[ee] nucleotide position 3299-3585 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [E] and [F]. The 5′ end of [ee] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [E], and the 3′ end of element [ee] is linked to the 5′ end of element [F] to form a unique junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:44, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411.

[ff] nucleotide position 4535-4540 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [F] and [G]. The 5′ end of [ff] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [F], and the 3′ end of element [ff] is linked to the 5′ end of element [G] to form a unique junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:45, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411.

[gg] nucleotide position 4602-4617 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [G] and [H]. The 5′ end of [gg] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [G], and the 3′ end of element [gg] is linked to the 5′ end of element [H] to form a junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:46, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411, but which is not unique to event MON 87411.

[hh] nucleotide position 5098-5106 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [H] and [I]. The 5′ end of [hh] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [H], and the 3′ end of element [hh] is linked to the 5′ end of element [I] to form a junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:47, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411, but which is not unique to event MON 87411.

[ii] nucleotide position 7069-7087 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [I] and [J]. The 5′ end of [ii] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [I], and the 3′ end of element [ii] is linked to the 5′ end of element [J] to form a junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:48, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411, but which is not unique to event MON 87411.

[jj] nucleotide position 7298-7345 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the intervening sequence between elements [J] and [K]. The 5′ end of [jj] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [J], and the 3′ end of element [jj] is linked to the 5′ end of element [K] to form a unique junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:49, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411.

[kk] nucleotide position 9527-9530 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the intervening sequence between elements [K] and [L]. The 5′ end of [kk] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [K], and the 3′ end of element [kk] is linked to the 5′ end of element [L] to form a unique junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:50, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411.

[ll] nucleotide position 11127-11133 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the an intervening sequence between elements [L] and [M]. The 5′ end of [ll] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [L], and the 3′ end of element [ll] is linked to the 5′ end of element [M] to form a unique junction, encompassed by SEQ ID NO:51, within the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411.

[mm] nucleotide position 11716-11748 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 corresponds to the a portion of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline right border sequence of the 417 construct adjacent to the genome at the arbitrarily assigned 3′ end of the transgenic DNA inserted into the corn genome to form event MON 87411. The 5′ end of [mm] as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is linked to the 3′ end of element [M], and the 3′ end of element [mm] is linked to the 5′ end of element [N] to form a unique transgenic inserted DNA/corn genome junction encompassed by SEQ ID NO:52.

FIG. 4 Illustration of cassette orientation for vectors tested to show higher efficacy of divergent promoters driving expression of corn rootworm toxic agents compared to vectors with a tandem orientation of promoters driving expression of corn rootworm toxic agents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCES

SEQ ID NO:1 is a nucleotide sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the 5′ genomic DNA flanking (adjacent to) the inserted transgenic DNA (500 nucleotides), the inserted transgenic DNA (11,248 nucleotides), and a segment of the 3′ genomic DNA flanking (adjacent to) the inserted transgenic DNA (500 nucleotides) in event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:2 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the 5′ genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA (500 nucleotides), and the inserted transgenic DNA border remnant (263 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:3 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, the inserted transgenic DNA border remnant (15 nucleotides), and a segment of the 3′ genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted genomic DNA (500 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:4 is a nucleotide sequence of event MON 87411, and represents the inserted genomic DNA (11248 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:5 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the 5′ genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA (50 nucleotides), and the inserted transgenic DNA border remnant (263 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:6 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the ′5 genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA (110 nucleotides), and the inserted transgenic DNA border remnant (263 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:7 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the 5′ genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA (145 nucleotides), and the inserted transgenic DNA border remnant (263 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:8 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the inserted transgenic DNA (83 nucleotides), and a segment of the 3′ genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA (34 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:9 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the inserted transgenic DNA (83 nucleotides), and a segment of the 3′ genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA (90 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:10 is a nucleotide junction sequence of event MON 87411, and represents from 5′ to 3′, a segment of the inserted transgenic DNA (83 nucleotides), and a segment of the 3′ genomic DNA adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA (255 nucleotides) of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:11 is a nucleotide sequence of a cDNA sequence from Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Western Corn Rootworm) encoding an ESCRT-III complex subunit that is orthologous to yeast Snf7.

SEQ ID NO:12 is a nucleotide sequence representing the antisense strand of a DNA expression cassette that includes a recombinant gene engineered to express an inverted repeat RNA molecule. The inverted repeat DNA segments correspond to positions 663 through 902 and to positions 1292 through 1053. The inverted repeat DNA sequences correspond to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11 from nucleotide position 151-390.

SEQ ID NO:13 is a ribonucleotide sequence transcribed from the DNA as set forth in SEQ ID NO:12.

SEQ ID NO:14 is a nucleotide sequence representing the sense strand of a DNA expression cassette that includes a recombinant gene engineered to encode and express a corn rootworm toxic Cry3Bb protein.

SEQ ID NO:15 is an amino acid sequence translation of a polynucleotide corresponding to positions 1522-3480 of SEQ ID NO:14, and representing a corn rootworm toxic Cry3Bb protein.

SEQ ID NO:16 is a nucleotide sequence representing the sense strand of a DNA expression cassette that includes a recombinant gene engineered to encode and express a 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) protein.

SEQ ID NO:17 is an amino acid sequence translation of a polynucleotide corresponding to positions 2186 through 3781 of SEQ ID NO:16, and representing an EPSPS protein that exhibits insensitivity to the herbicide glyphosate.

SEQ ID NO:18 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as SQ27011, and is identical to the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 462-490 of SEQ ID NO:1.

SEQ ID NO:19 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as PB3552, and is identical to the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 502-515 of SEQ ID NO:1. PB3552 can be 5′ labeled with a 6-carboxyfluorescein moiety (6-FAM™) and 3′ labeled with a quencher moiety for use in combination with a pair of thermal amplification primers, e.g., SQ27011 and SQ9085, and capable of use in TAQMAN® DNA amplification method to detect the presence of event MON 87411 DNA in a biological sample that contains corn event MON 87411 DNA.

SEQ ID NO:20 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as SQ9085, and is identical to the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 516-541 of SEQ ID NO:1.

SEQ ID NO:21 is a nucleotide sequence of event MON 87411, and corresponds to positions 462-541 of SEQ ID NO:1. An amplicon exhibiting this sequence can be produced with a pair of thermal amplification primers, e.g., SQ27011 and SQ9085.

SEQ ID NO:22 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as SQ27066, and is identical to the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 11710-11728 of SEQ ID NO:1.

SEQ ID NO:23 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as PB11300, and is identical to the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 11731-11755 of SEQ ID NO:1. PB11300 can be 5′ labeled with a 6-carboxyfluorescein moiety (6-FAM™) and 3′ labeled with a quencher moiety. Labeled this way, PB11300 can be used in combination with a pair of PCR primers, e.g., SQ27066 and SQ26977, to detect event MON 87411 in a TAQMAN® assay.

SEQ ID NO:24 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as SQ26977, and is identical to the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 11756-11784 of SEQ ID NO:1.

SEQ ID NO:25 is a nucleotide sequence of event MON 87411, and corresponds to positions 11710-11784 of SEQ ID NO:1. An amplicon exhibiting this sequence can be amplified with a pair of primers, e.g. SQ27066 and SQ26977, and is diagnostic of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:26 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #417.

SEQ ID NO:27 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #416.

SEQ ID NO:28 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #418.

SEQ ID NO:29 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #419.

SEQ ID NO:30 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #402.

SEQ ID NO:31 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #403.

SEQ ID NO:32 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #404.

SEQ ID NO:33 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #423.

SEQ ID NO:34 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #405.

SEQ ID NO:35 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #406.

SEQ ID NO:36 is a nucleotide sequence representing the DNA construct #890.

SEQ ID NO:37 is a nucleotide sequence of the LH244 corn plant representing the wild-type allele of event MON 87411. An amplicon exhibiting this nucleotide sequence can be produced with a pair of PCR primers, e.g., SQ27011 and SQ26977, and is diagnostic of the wild-type allele of event MON 87411.

SEQ ID NO:38 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as SQ20221.

SEQ ID NO:39 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as PB10065. PB10065 can be 5′ labeled with VIC™ and 3′ labeled with a quencher moiety. Labeled this way, PB10065 can be used in combination with a pair of PCR primers, e.g., SQ10065 and SQ20222, to detect the presence of a segment of an endogenous gene of corn in a TAQMAN® assay.

SEQ ID NO:40 is a nucleotide sequence of a synthetic oligonucleotide referred to as SQ20222.

SEQ ID NOs:41-52 are nucleotide sequences of regions of SEQ ID NO:1, where each SEQ ID NO encompasses a junction formed by intervening sequence and the expression cassette elements as detailed in the brief description for FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Resistance management provides for reducing or eliminating the likelihood of development of resistance to one or more recombinant traits, such as an insecticide, that is/are either present within a recombinant plant or present adjacent to one or more parts or tissues of a plant. One approach for achieving resistance management is though a seed mix or seed blend refuge composition. To obtain such a composition a first transgenic crop seed, such as a seed comprising event MON 87411 of the present invention, is selected to be mixed with a refuge seed to form a seed blend. The seed blend consists at least of a first transgenic crop seed, which contains at least a first transgene, and at least one type of refuge plant seed.

The refuge plant seed can be uniform in nature, in that it is composed of a single type of seed from a single variety of plant, or can be non-uniform in nature and consist of two or more varieties of plant. In one embodiment, the refuge seed is similar in variety (or agronomic characteristics) to the first transgenic crop seed. The refuge seed can be non-transgenic or can be transgenic. A refuge seed that is a transgenic seed can contain any transgene so long as it is not a transgene that is present in the first transgenic crop seed. In one embodiment, the transgene in a transgenic refuge seed is a transgene selected from an insecticidal gene, a herbicide tolerance gene, a fungicide tolerance gene, and the like. Refuge seeds may be grown into plants that act as a refuge for pests that either feed directly on a particular crop species, or other pests, the presence of which within the local proximity of a particular crop species, results in the damage, decrease in viability, infertility, or decrease in yield of a crop produced from such crop species.

The refuge strategy of the present invention assists with delaying the onset of resistance development. For instance, deploying into a field of crops some percentage of the seeds which sprout and develop into mature refuge plants, but do not contain a transgene that is present in the crop seed, allows susceptible larva to survive to adults on the refuge plants. Although this strategy is acceptable on low to moderate levels of insect pressure, under very high levels of insect pressure the non-protected plants, i.e. refuge plants, may be damaged such that this insect resistance management strategy is not commercially viable. Refuge plants may however be protected by either a transgene that is insecticidal against a different insect or against the same insect using a different mode of action. With this strategy the refuge plants are sufficiently protected but still allow for larval survivorship to adults, and the refuge seed mix becomes commercially viable under all levels of insect pressure. At the same time, two modes of action are achieved, ensuring the longest possible term for commercial viability and utility of the transgenic crop seeds with a minimal risk to the development of resistance races of insects.

One means of deploying a transgenic refuge into a field of recombinant crops would comprise a seed mixture comprising from about 1% to about 10% refuge seed, or from about 5% to about 10% refuge seed. Alternatively, the refuge seed may comprise up to about 50% of the seed in a seed mixture. That is, the insect-protected transgenic seed might comprise from about 50% to about 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 95% or even up to about 99% of the seed mixture.

The inventors have identified a transgenic corn event MON 87411 exhibiting superior properties and performance compared to existing transgenic corn plants. The corn event MON 87411 contains three operably linked expression cassettes which collectively confer the traits of corn rootworm resistance and glyphosate herbicide tolerance to corn cells, corn tissues, corn seed and corn plants containing the transgenic event MON 87411. The corn event MON 87411 provides two modes of action against corn rootworm pest species (including Diabrotica spp., especially when the pest is Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Western Corn Rootworm, WCR), Diabrotica barberi (Northern Corn Rootworm, NCR), Diabrotica virgifera zeae (Mexican Corn Rootworm, MCR), Diabrotica balteata (Brazilian Corn Rootworm (BZR) or Brazilian Corn Rootworm complex (BCR) consisting of Diabrotica viridula and Diabrotica speciosa), or Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardii (Southern Corn Rootworm, SCR)). Other transgenic corn events have been referenced in the art that provide various embodiments conferred singly, such as MON863 (conferring the trait of resistance to corn rootworms by expression of a Cry3Bb insecticidal toxin protein), or transgenic corn events providing two or more traits such as in corn event MON88017 (conferring the trait of resistance to corn rootworms by expression of a Cry3Bb insecticidal toxin protein and the trait of resistance to glyphosate herbicide by expression of a glyphosate insensitive EPSPS) and corn event DAS 59122-7 (conferring the trait of resistance to corn rootworms by expression of a binary Bacillus thuringiensis toxin PS149B1, also known as Cry34/Cry35, and the trait of tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate). Other art discloses the combination by breeding of the traits conferred by the corn events MON88017 or DAS 59122-7 with a transgenic corn event conferring the trait of corn rootworm resistance resulting from the expression of a dsRNA targeting for suppression a corn rootworm gene essential for the rootworms' survival (U.S. Pat. No. 7,943,819). Inherent in such combinations are the problems associated with the need for breeding these multiple traits located in multiple different loci and on multiple chromosomes within the corn genome together into a single corn plant and maintaining those traits as hybrids in dozens if not hundreds of different corn germplasm varieties. The solution for such problems would be to include combinations of these traits together in a single locus. The inventors herein provide one such solution to the problem in the form of the corn event MON 87411, which combines three covalently linked expression cassettes together in a single locus within the corn genome, these expression cassettes conferring the traits of corn rootworm resistance and glyphosate herbicide tolerance to the corn cells, corn tissues, corn seed and corn plants containing the transgenic event MON 87411. Use of corn event MON 87411 provides major benefits to corn growers: a) protection from economic losses due to the corn rootworm larvae by providing two different corn rootworm resistance modes of action, and b) the ability to apply glyphosate containing agricultural herbicides to the corn crop for broad-spectrum weed control. Additionally, the transgenes encoding the corn rootworm and glyphosate tolerant traits are linked on the same DNA segment and occur at a single locus in the genome of MON 87411, providing for enhanced breeding efficiency and enables the use of molecular markers to track the transgene insert in the breeding populations and progeny thereof.

The corn event MON 87411 was produced by an Agrobacterium mediated transformation process of an inbred corn line with the plasmid construct pMON120417. This plasmid construct contains the linked plant expression cassettes with the regulatory genetic elements necessary for expression in corn plant cells of a CP4 EPSPS protein, as well as a Cry3Bb protein and a dsRNA targeting for suppression an essential gene in the cells of corn rootworms when corn cells containing corn event MON 87411 are provided in the diet of such corn rootworms. Corn cells were regenerated into intact corn plants and individual plants were selected from the population of plants that showed integrity of the plant expression cassettes and resistance to glyphosate and corn rootworm larvae feeding damage. A corn plant that contains in its genome the linked plant expression cassettes present in corn event MON 87411 is an aspect of the present invention.

The plasmid DNA inserted into the genome of corn event MON 87411 was characterized by detailed molecular analyses. These analyses included: the insert number (number of integration sites within the corn genome), the copy number (the number of copies of the T-DNA within one locus), and the integrity of the transgenic inserted DNA. The plasmid construct containing the three linked expression cassettes inserted into the corn genome giving rise to the event MON 87411 contains multiple segments (junction sequences between elements used to build or construct the several expression cassettes) that are not known to appear naturally in the corn genome nor in other vectors or transgenic events of corn or otherwise (for example, sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10; SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52). In addition, the transformation event that gave rise to the inserted transgenic DNA in the event MON 87411 is characterized herein as an insertion into a single locus in the corn genome, resulting in two new loci or junction sequences between the inserted DNA and the corn genome DNA (additional junction sequences) that are of sufficient length to be unique only to a corn genome comprising event MON 87411. These junction sequences are useful for detecting the presence of the event MON 87411 DNA in corn cells, tissue, seed and plants or plant products (commodity products). DNA molecular probes and primer pairs are described herein that have been developed for use in identifying the presence of these various junction segments in biological samples containing or suspected of containing corn cells, seed, plant parts or plant tissue that contain the event MON 87411 DNA. The data show that event MON 87411 contains a single T-DNA insertion with one copy of the inserted transgenic DNA. No additional elements from the transformation vector pMON120714 other than portions of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens left and right border regions used for transgenic DNA transfer from the plant transformation plasmid to the corn genome have been identified in event MON 87411. Finally, thermal amplification producing specific amplicons diagnostic for the presence of such event MON 87411 DNA in a sample, and DNA sequence analyses were performed to determine the arbitrarily assigned 5′ and 3′ insert-to-plant genome junctions, confirm the organization of the elements within the insert, and determine the complete DNA sequence of the inserted transgene DNA in corn plant event MON 87411 (SEQ ID NO:1).

Dozens of transgenic events were produced using the construct used to produce the transgenic event MON 87411, and different constructs were produced and used to produce many dozens of other transgenic corn events which were compared to the MON 87411 and similar events. These events were all tested for efficacy for controlling corn rootworms in diet bioassays in which the transgenic corn plant event tissues were provided in the diet of corn rootworm larvae. It was determined that the orientation of expression of the two different expression cassettes responsible for conferring the corn rootworm resistance traits to the various events was critical to the efficacy of the events in providing corn rootworm control when the corn event cells expressing these resistance traits were provided in the diet of the corn rootworm larvae. Two different promoters, CAMV e35S and Zm.PIIG, were observed to provide surprising and superior efficacy of corn events containing expression cassettes expressing the dsRNA corn rootworm protectant from the e35S promoter and the Cry3Bb corn rootworm toxic protein from an a Zm.PIIG promoter that was adjacent to and divergent from the e35S promoter. When these promoters were in this particular orientation significantly improved ratios of transgenic events exhibiting efficacy were obtained.

Unless otherwise noted herein, terms are to be understood according to conventional usage by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art. Definitions of common terms in molecular biology may also be found in Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th edition, Springer-Verlag: New York, 1991; and Lewin, Genes V, Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. As used herein, the term “corn” means Zea mays and includes all plant varieties that can be bred with corn plants comprising MON 87411. As used herein, the term “comprising” means “including but not limited to”.

The present invention provides for transgenic plants which have been transformed with a DNA construct that contains at least three expression cassettes; a first expression cassette expressing a corn rootworm toxic amount of a dsRNA designed to suppress a corn rootworm essential gene orthologous to a yeast snf7 gene, a second expression cassette expresses corn rootworm toxic amounts of Cry3Bb delta-endotoxin, and a third expression cassette that expresses a glyphosate tolerance enzyme CP4 EPSPS that is insensitive to glyphosate inhibition. Corn plants transformed according to the methods and with the DNA construct disclosed herein are resistant to CRW and tolerant to applications of glyphosate herbicide. The linked agronomic traits provide ease in maintaining these traits together in a breeding population, and exhibit greater corn rootworm efficacy than plants containing only a single corn rootworm inhibition gene or that contain the same corn rootworm inhibition genes (Cry3Bb and dsRNA) that are combined as a breeding stack.

A transgenic “plant” is produced by transformation of a plant cell with heterologous DNA, i.e., a polynucleic acid construct that includes a transgene of interest; regeneration of a population of plants resulting from the insertion of the transgene into the genome of the plant cell, and selection of a particular plant characterized by insertion into a particular genome location. The term “event” refers to the original transformant plant and progeny of the transformant that include the heterologous DNA. The term “event” also includes progeny produced by a sexual outcross between the event and another plant wherein the progeny includes the heterologous DNA. Even after repeated back-crossing to a recurrent parent, the inserted DNA and flanking genomic DNA from the transformed parent event is present in the progeny of the cross at the same chromosomal location. The term “event” also refers to DNA from the original transformant comprising the inserted DNA, and flanking genomic sequence immediately adjacent to the inserted DNA, that would be expected to be transferred to a progeny that receives the inserted DNA including the transgene of interest as the result of a sexual cross of one parental line that includes the inserted DNA (e.g., the original transformant and progeny resulting from selfing) and a parental line that does not contain the inserted DNA. The present invention is related to the transgenic event, corn plant comprising MON 87411, progeny thereof, and DNA compositions contained therein.

A “probe” is an isolated nucleic acid to which is attached a conventional detectable label or reporter molecule, e.g., a radioactive isotope, ligand, chemiluminescent agent, or enzyme. Such a probe is complementary to a strand of a target nucleic acid, in the case of the present invention, to a strand of genomic DNA from MON 87411 whether from a MON 87411 plant or from a sample that includes MON 87411 DNA. Probes according to the present invention include not only deoxyribonucleic or ribonucleic acids, but also polyamides and other probe materials that bind specifically to a target DNA sequence and can be used to detect the presence of that target DNA sequence.

DNA primers are isolated polynucleic acids that are annealed to a complementary target DNA strand by nucleic acid hybridization to form a hybrid between the primer and the target DNA strand, then extended along the target DNA strand by a polymerase, e.g., a DNA polymerase. A DNA primer pair or a DNA primer set of the present invention refer to two DNA primers useful for amplification of a target nucleic acid sequence, e.g., by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or other conventional polynucleic acid amplification methods.

DNA probes and DNA primers are generally 11 polynucleotides or more in length, often 18 polynucleotides or more, 24 polynucleotides or more, or 30 polynucleotides or more. Such probes and primers are selected to be of sufficient length to hybridize specifically to a target sequence under high stringency hybridization conditions. Preferably, probes and primers according to the present invention have complete sequence similarity with the target sequence, although probes differing from the target sequence that retain the ability to hybridize to target sequences may be designed by conventional methods.

Primers and probes based on the flanking genomic DNA and insert sequences disclosed herein can be used to confirm (and, if necessary, to correct) the disclosed DNA sequences by conventional methods, e.g., by re-cloning and sequencing such DNA molecules.

The nucleic acid probes and primers of the present invention hybridize under stringent conditions to a target DNA molecule. Any conventional nucleic acid hybridization or amplification method can be used to identify the presence of DNA from a transgenic plant in a sample. Polynucleic acid molecules, also referred to as nucleic acid segments, or fragments thereof are capable of specifically hybridizing to other nucleic acid molecules under certain circumstances. As used herein, two polynucleic acid molecules are said to be capable of specifically hybridizing to one another if the two molecules are capable of forming an anti-parallel, double-stranded nucleic acid structure. A nucleic acid molecule is said to be the “complement” of another nucleic acid molecule if they exhibit complete complementarity. As used herein, molecules are said to exhibit “complete complementarity” when every nucleotide of one of the molecules is complementary to a nucleotide of the other. Two molecules are said to be “minimally complementary” if they can hybridize to one another with sufficient stability to permit them to remain annealed to one another under at least conventional “low-stringency” conditions. Similarly, the molecules are said to be “complementary” if they can hybridize to one another with sufficient stability to permit them to remain annealed to one another under conventional “high-stringency” conditions. Conventional stringency conditions are described by Sambrook et al., 1989, and by Haymes et al., In: Nucleic Acid Hybridization, A Practical Approach, IRL Press, Washington, D.C. (1985), Departures from complete complementarity are therefore permissible, as long as such departures do not completely preclude the capacity of the molecules to form a double-stranded structure. In order for a nucleic acid molecule to serve as a primer or probe it need only be sufficiently complementary in sequence to be able to form a stable double-stranded structure under the particular solvent and salt concentrations employed.

As used herein, a substantially homologous sequence is a nucleic acid sequence that will specifically hybridize to the complement of the nucleic acid sequence to which it is being compared under high stringency conditions. Appropriate stringency conditions that promote DNA hybridization, for example, 6.0× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) at about 45° C., followed by a wash of 2.0×SSC at 50° C., are known to those skilled in the art or can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, N.Y. (1989), 6.3.1-6.3.6. For example, the salt concentration in the wash step can be selected from a low stringency of about 2.0×SSC at 50° C. to a high stringency of about 0.2×SSC at 50° C. In addition, the temperature in the wash step can be increased from low stringency conditions at room temperature, about 22° C., to high stringency conditions at about 65° C. Both temperature and salt may be varied, or either the temperature or the salt concentration may be held constant while the other variable is changed. In a preferred embodiment, a polynucleic acid of the present invention will specifically hybridize to one or more of the nucleic acid molecules set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 21, 25, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 49, 50, 51, or 52 or complements thereof or fragments of either under moderately stringent conditions, for example at about 2.0×SSC and about 65° C. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a nucleic acid of the present invention will specifically hybridize to one or more of the nucleic acid molecules set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 21, 25, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 49, 50, 51, or 52 or complements or fragments of either under high stringency conditions. In one aspect of the present invention, a preferred marker nucleic acid molecule of the present invention has the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, or SEQ ID NO:2, or SEQ ID NO:3, or SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5, or SEQ ID NO:6, or SEQ ID NO:7, or SEQ ID NO:8, or SEQ ID NO:9, or SEQ ID NO:10; or SEQ ID NO:12, or SEQ ID NO:14, OR SEQ ID NO:16, or SEQ ID NO:21, or SEQ ID NO:25, or SEQ ID NO: 41, or SEQ ID NO: 42, or SEQ ID NO: 43, or SEQ ID NO: 44, or SEQ ID NO: 45, or SEQ ID NO: 49, or SEQ ID NO: 50, or SEQ ID NO: 51, or SEQ ID NO: 52 or complements thereof or fragments of either. The hybridization of the probe to the target DNA molecule can be detected by any number of methods known to those skilled in the art, these can include, but are not limited to, fluorescent tags, radioactive tags, antibody based tags, and chemiluminescent tags.

Regarding the amplification of a target nucleic acid sequence (e.g., by PCR) using a particular amplification primer pair, “stringent conditions” are conditions that permit the primer pair to hybridize only to the target nucleic acid sequence to which a primer having the corresponding wild-type sequence (or its complement) would bind and preferably to produce a unique amplification product, the amplicon, in a DNA thermal amplification reaction.

The term “specific for (a target sequence)” indicates that a probe or primer hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions only to the target sequence in a sample comprising the target sequence.

As used herein, “amplified DNA” or “amplicon” refers to the product of polynucleic acid amplification method directed to a target polynucleic acid molecule that is part of a polynucleic acid template. For example, to determine whether a corn plant resulting from a sexual cross contains transgenic plant genomic DNA from a corn plant comprising MON 87411 of the present invention, DNA that is extracted from a corn plant tissue sample may be subjected to a polynucleic acid amplification method using a primer pair that includes a primer derived from a DNA sequence in the genome of a MON 87411 comprising plant adjacent to the insertion site of the inserted heterologous DNA (transgene DNA), and a second primer derived from the inserted heterologous DNA to produce an amplicon that is diagnostic for the presence of the MON 87411 plant DNA. The diagnostic amplicon is of a length and has a DNA sequence that is also diagnostic for the plant genomic DNA. The amplicon may range in length from the combined length of the primer pair plus one nucleotide base pair, preferably plus about fifty nucleotide base pairs, more preferably plus about two hundred-fifty nucleotide base pairs, and even more preferably plus about four hundred-fifty nucleotide base pairs or more. Alternatively, a primer pair can be derived from genomic sequence on both sides of the inserted heterologous DNA so as to produce an amplicon that includes the entire insert polynucleotide sequence (e.g., a forward primer isolated from the genomic portion of SEQ ID NO:1 and a reverse primer isolated from the genomic portion of SEQ ID NO:1 that amplifies a DNA molecule comprising the a junction sequence identified herein in the event MON 87411 genome). A member of a primer pair derived from the plant genomic sequence adjacent to the inserted transgenic DNA is located a distance from the inserted DNA sequence, this distance can range from one nucleotide base pair up to about twenty thousand nucleotide base pairs. The use of the term “amplicon” specifically excludes primer dimers that may be formed in the DNA thermal amplification reaction.

Polynucleic acid amplification can be accomplished by any of the various polynucleic acid amplification methods known in the art, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplification methods are known in the art and are described, inter alia, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202 and in PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications, ed. Innis et al., Academic Press, San Diego, 1990. PCR amplification methods have been developed to amplify up to 22 kb (kilobase) of genomic DNA and up to 42 kb of bacteriophage DNA (Cheng et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:5695-5699, 1994). These methods as well as other methods known in the art of DNA amplification may be used in the practice of the present invention. The sequence of the heterologous DNA insert or flanking genomic DNA sequence from event MON 87411 can be verified (and corrected if necessary) by amplifying such DNA molecules from event MON 87411 comprising seed or plants grown from the seed deposited with the ATCC having accession no. PTA-12669, using primers derived from the sequences provided herein, followed by standard DNA sequencing of the PCR amplicon or cloned DNA fragments thereof.

DNA detection kits that are based on DNA amplification methods contain DNA primer molecules that hybridize specifically to a target DNA and amplify a diagnostic amplicon under the appropriate reaction conditions. The kit may provide an agarose gel based detection method or any number of methods of detecting the diagnostic amplicon that are known in the art. A kit that contains DNA primers that are homologous or complementary to any portion of the corn genomic region as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 and to any portion of the inserted transgenic DNA as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 is an object of the invention. DNA molecules useful as DNA primers can be selected from the disclosed transgene/genomic DNA sequence of MON 87411 (SEQ ID NO:1) by those skilled in the art of DNA amplification.

The diagnostic amplicon produced by these methods may be detected by a plurality of techniques. One such method is Genetic Bit Analysis (Nikiforov, et al. Nucleic Acid Res. 22:4167-4175, 1994) where a DNA oligonucleotide is designed that overlaps both the adjacent flanking genomic DNA sequence and the inserted DNA sequence. The oligonucleotide is immobilized in wells of a microtiter plate. Following PCR of the region of interest (using one primer in the inserted sequence and one in the adjacent flanking genomic sequence), a single-stranded PCR product can be hybridized to the immobilized oligonucleotide and serve as a template for a single base extension reaction using a DNA polymerase and labeled dideoxynucleotide triphosphates (ddNTPs) specific for the expected next base. Readout may be fluorescent or ELISA-based. A signal indicates presence of the transgene/genomic sequence due to successful amplification, hybridization, and single base extension.

Another method is the Pyrosequencing technique as described by Winge (Innov. Pharma. Tech. 00:18-24, 2000). In this method an oligonucleotide is designed that overlaps the adjacent genomic DNA and insert DNA junction. The oligonucleotide is hybridized to single-stranded PCR product from the region of interest (one primer in the inserted sequence and one in the flanking genomic sequence) and incubated in the presence of a DNA polymerase, ATP, sulfurylase, luciferase, apyrase, adenosine 5′ phosphosulfate and luciferin. DNTPs are added individually and the incorporation results in a light signal that is measured. A light signal indicates the presence of the transgene/genomic sequence due to successful amplification, hybridization, and single or multi-base extension.

Fluorescence Polarization as described by Chen, et al., (Genome Res. 9:492-498, 1999) is a method that can be used to detect the amplicon of the present invention. Using this method an oligonucleotide is designed that overlaps the genomic flanking and inserted DNA junction. The oligonucleotide is hybridized to single-stranded PCR product from the region of interest (one primer in the inserted DNA and one in the flanking genomic DNA sequence) and incubated in the presence of a DNA polymerase and a fluorescent-labeled ddNTP. Single base extension results in incorporation of the ddNTP. Incorporation can be measured as a change in polarization using a fluorometer. A change in polarization indicates the presence of the transgene/genomic sequence due to successful amplification, hybridization, and single base extension.

Taqman® (PE Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is described as a method of detecting and quantifying the presence of a DNA sequence and is fully understood in the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Briefly, a FRET oligonucleotide probe is designed that overlaps the genomic flanking and insert DNA junction. The FRET probe and PCR primers (one primer in the insert DNA sequence and one in the flanking genomic sequence) are cycled in the presence of a thermostable polymerase and dNTPs. Hybridization of the FRET probe results in cleavage and release of the fluorescent moiety away from the quenching moiety on the FRET probe. A fluorescent signal indicates the presence of the transgene/genomic sequence due to successful amplification and hybridization.

Molecular Beacons have been described for use in sequence detection as described in Tyangi, et al. (Nature Biotech. 14:303-308, 1996) Briefly, a FRET oligonucleotide probe is designed that overlaps the flanking genomic and insert DNA junction. The unique structure of the FRET probe results in it containing secondary structure that keeps the fluorescent and quenching moieties in close proximity. The FRET probe and PCR primers (one primer in the insert DNA sequence and one in the flanking genomic sequence) are cycled in the presence of a thermostable polymerase and dNTPs. Following successful PCR amplification, hybridization of the FRET probe to the target sequence results in the removal of the probe secondary structure and spatial separation of the fluorescent and quenching moieties. A fluorescent signal results. A fluorescent signal indicates the presence of the flanking/transgene insert sequence due to successful amplification and hybridization.

DNA detection kits can be developed using the compositions disclosed herein and the methods well known in the art of DNA detection. The kits are useful for identification of corn event MON 87411 DNA in a sample and can be applied to methods for breeding corn plants containing MON 87411 DNA. A kit contains DNA molecules that are useful as primers or probes and that are homologous or complementary to at least the applicable portions of SEQ ID NO:1 as described herein. The DNA molecules can be used in DNA amplification methods (PCR) or as probes in polynucleic acid hybridization methods, i.e., Southern analysis, northern analysis.

Junction sequences may be represented by a sequence from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10; SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, and SEQ ID NO:52. For example, the junction sequences may be arbitrarily represented by the nucleotide sequences provided as SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:8. Alternatively, the junction sequences may be arbitrarily represented by the nucleotide sequences provided as SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO:9. Alternatively, the junction sequences may be arbitrarily represented by the nucleotide sequences provided as SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:10. These nucleotides are connected by phosphodiester linkage and in corn event MON 87411 are present as part of the recombinant plant cell genome. The identification of one or more of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, or SEQ ID NO:52 in a sample derived from a corn plant, seed, or plant part is determinative that the DNA was obtained from corn event MON 87411 and is diagnostic for the presence in a sample containing DNA from corn event MON 87411. The invention thus provides a DNA molecule that contains at least one of the nucleotide sequences provided as SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, or SEQ ID NO:52. Any segment of DNA derived from transgenic corn event MON 87411 that is sufficient to include at least one of the sequences provided as SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, or SEQ ID NO:52 is within the scope of the invention. In addition, any polynucleotide comprising a sequence complementary to any of the sequences described within this paragraph is within the scope of the invention.

The invention provides exemplary DNA molecules that can be used either as primers or probes for detecting the presence of DNA derived from a corn plant comprising event MON 87411 DNA in a sample. Such primers or probes are specific for a target nucleic acid sequence and as such are useful for the identification of corn event MON 87411 nucleic acid sequence by the methods of the invention described herein.

A “primer” is typically a highly purified, isolated polynucleotide that is designed for use in specific annealing or hybridization methods that involve thermal amplification. A pair of primers may be used with template DNA, such as a sample of corn genomic DNA, in a thermal amplification, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to produce an amplicon, where the amplicon produced from such reaction would have a DNA sequence corresponding to sequence of the template DNA located between the two sites where the primers hybridized to the template. As used herein, an “amplicon” is a piece or fragment of DNA that has been synthesized using amplification techniques. An amplicon of the invention comprises at least one of the sequences provided as SEQ ID NO:21 or SEQ ID NO:25. A primer is typically designed to hybridize to a complementary target DNA strand to form a hybrid between the primer and the target DNA strand, and the presence of the primer is a point of recognition by a polymerase to begin extension of the primer (i.e., polymerization of additional nucleotides into a lengthening nucleotide molecule) using as a template the target DNA strand. Primer pairs, as used in the invention, are intended to refer to the use of two primers binding opposite strands of a double stranded nucleotide segment for the purpose of amplifying linearly the polynucleotide segment between the positions targeted for binding by the individual members of the primer pair, typically in a thermal amplification reaction or other conventional nucleic-acid amplification methods. A primer pair useful for this application should comprise a first DNA molecule and a second DNA molecule that is different from the first DNA molecule, and wherein both are each of sufficient length of contiguous nucleotides of a DNA sequence to function as DNA primers that, when used together in a thermal amplification reaction with template DNA derived from corn event MON 87411, to produce an amplicon diagnostic for corn event MON 87411 DNA in a sample. Exemplary DNA molecules useful as primers are provided as SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:22, or SEQ ID NO:24.

A “probe” is an isolated nucleic acid that is complementary to a strand of a target nucleic acid. Probes include not only deoxyribonucleic or ribonucleic acids but also polyamides and other probe materials that bind specifically to a target DNA sequence and the detection of such binding can be useful in diagnosing, discriminating, determining, detecting, or confirming the presence of that target DNA sequence in a particular sample. A probe may be attached to a conventional detectable label or reporter molecule, e.g., a radioactive isotope, ligand, chemiluminescent agent, or enzyme. Exemplary DNA molecules useful as probes are provided as SEQ ID NO:19 and SEQ ID NO:23.

Probes and primers may have complete sequence identity with the target sequence, although primers and probes differing from the target sequence that retain the ability to hybridize preferentially to target sequences may be designed by conventional methods. In order for a nucleic acid molecule to serve as a primer or probe it need only be sufficiently complementary in sequence to be able to form a stable double-stranded structure under the particular solvent and salt concentrations employed. Any conventional nucleic acid hybridization or amplification method can be used to identify the presence of transgenic DNA from corn event MON 87411 in a sample. Probes and primers are generally at least about 11 nucleotides, at least about 18 nucleotides, at least about 24 nucleotides, or at least about 30 nucleotides or more in length. Such probes and primers hybridize specifically to a target DNA sequence under stringent hybridization conditions. Conventional stringency conditions are described by Sambrook et al., 1989, and by Haymes et al., In: Nucleic Acid Hybridization, A Practical Approach, IRL Press, Washington, D.C. (1985).

Any number of methods well known to those skilled in the art can be used to isolate and manipulate a DNA molecule, or fragment thereof, disclosed in the invention, including thermal amplification methods. DNA molecules, or fragments thereof, can also be obtained by other techniques such as by directly synthesizing the fragment by chemical means, as is commonly practiced by using an automated oligonucleotide synthesizer.

The DNA molecules and corresponding nucleotide sequences provided herein are therefore useful for, among other things, identifying corn event MON 87411, selecting plant varieties or hybrids comprising corn event MON 87411, detecting the presence of DNA derived from the transgenic corn event MON 87411 in a sample, and monitoring samples for the presence and/or absence of corn event MON 87411 or plant parts derived from corn plants comprising event MON 87411.

The invention provides corn plants, progeny, seeds, plant cells, plant parts (such as pollen, ovule, ear or silk tissue, tassel tissue, root tissue, stem tissue, and leaf tissue), and commodity products. These plants, progeny, seeds, plant cells, plant parts, and commodity products contain a detectable amount of a polynucleotide of the invention, i.e., such as a polynucleotide having at least one of the sequences provided as SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, or SEQ ID NO:52. Plants, progeny, seeds, plant cells, and plant parts of the invention may also contain one or more additional transgenes. Such additional transgene may be any nucleotide sequence encoding a protein or RNA molecule conferring a desirable trait including but not limited to increased insect resistance, increased water use efficiency, increased yield performance, increased drought resistance, increased seed quality, improved nutritional quality, and/or increased herbicide tolerance, in which the desirable trait is measured with respect to a corn plant lacking such additional transgene.

The invention provides corn plants, progeny, seeds, plant cells, and plant part such as pollen, ovule, ear or silk tissue, tassel tissue, root or stem tissue, and leaves derived from a transgenic corn plant comprising event MON 87411. A representative sample of corn seed comprising event MON 87411 has been deposited according to the Budapest Treaty with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). The ATCC depository has assigned the Patent Deposit Designation PTA-12669 to the event MON 87411 comprising seed.

The invention provides a microorganism comprising a DNA molecule having at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, and SEQ ID NO:52 present in its genome. An example of such a microorganism is a transgenic plant cell. Microorganisms, such as a plant cell of the invention, are useful in many industrial applications, including but not limited to: (i) use as research tool for scientific inquiry or industrial research; (ii) use in culture for producing endogenous or recombinant carbohydrate, lipid, nucleic acid, or protein products or small molecules that may be used for subsequent scientific research or as industrial products; and (iii) use with modern plant tissue culture techniques to produce transgenic plants or plant tissue cultures that may then be used for agricultural research or production. The production and use of microorganisms such as transgenic plant cells utilizes modern microbiological techniques and human intervention to produce a man-made, unique microorganism. In this process, recombinant DNA is inserted into a plant cell's genome to create a transgenic plant cell that is separate and unique from naturally occurring plant cells. This transgenic plant cell can then be cultured much like bacteria and yeast cells using modern microbiology techniques and may exist in an undifferentiated, unicellular state. The transgenic plant cell's new or altered genetic composition and phenotype is a technical effect created by the integration of the heterologous DNA into the genome of the cell. Microorganisms of the invention, such as transgenic plant cells, include (i) methods of producing transgenic cells by integrating recombinant DNA into the genome of the cell and then using this cell to derive additional cells possessing the same heterologous DNA; (ii) methods of culturing cells that contain recombinant DNA using modern microbiology techniques; (iii) methods of producing and purifying endogenous or recombinant carbohydrate, lipid, nucleic acid, or protein products from cultured cells; and (iv) methods of using modern plant tissue culture techniques with transgenic plant cells to produce transgenic plants or transgenic plant tissue cultures.

Plants of the invention may pass along the event DNA, including the transgene, to progeny. As used herein, “progeny” includes any plant, seed, plant cell, and/or regenerable plant part comprising the event DNA derived from an ancestor plant and/or comprising a DNA molecule having at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO:52. Plants, progeny, and seeds may be homozygous or heterozygous for the transgene. Progeny may be grown from seeds produced by a corn event MON 87411 containing plant and/or from seeds produced by a plant fertilized with pollen from a corn event MON 87411 containing plant.

Progeny plants may be self-pollinated (also known as “selfing”) to generate a true breeding line of plants, i.e., plants homozygous for the transgene. Selfing of appropriate progeny can produce plants that are homozygous for both added, exogenous genes.

Alternatively, progeny plants may be outcrossed, e.g., bred with another unrelated plant, to produce a varietal or a hybrid seed or plant. The other unrelated plant may be transgenic or nontransgenic. A varietal or hybrid seed or plant of the invention may thus be derived by crossing a first parent that lacks the specific and unique DNA of the corn event MON 87411 with a second parent comprising corn event MON 87411, resulting in a hybrid comprising the specific and unique DNA of the corn event MON 87411. Each parent can be a hybrid or an inbred/varietal, so long as the cross or breeding results in a plant or seed of the invention, i.e., a seed having at least one allele containing the DNA of corn event MON 87411 and/or a DNA molecule having at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52. Two different transgenic plants may thus be crossed to produce hybrid offspring that contain two independently segregating, added, exogenous genes. For example, the event MON 87411 corn containing resistance to corn rootworm infestations and glyphosate tolerance can be crossed with different transgenic corn plants to produce a hybrid or inbred plant having the characteristics of both transgenic parents. One example of this would be a cross of event MON 87411 containing resistance to corn rootworm infestations and glyphosate tolerance with a corn plant having one or more additional traits such as herbicide tolerance and/or insect control, resulting in a progeny plant or seed that is resistant to corn rootworm infestations and tolerant to glyphosate and has at least one or more additional traits. Back-crossing to a parental plant and out-crossing with a non-transgenic plant are also contemplated, as is vegetative propagation. Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used for different traits and crops can be found in one of several references, e.g., Fehr, in Breeding Methods for Cultivar Development, Wilcox J. ed., American Society of Agronomy, Madison Wis. (1987).

The invention provides a plant part that is derived from corn plants comprising event MON 87411. As used herein, a “plant part” refers to any part of a plant which is comprised of material derived from a corn plant comprising event MON 87411. Plant parts include but are not limited to pollen, ovule, ear or silk, tassel, root or stem tissue, fibers, and leaves. Plant parts may be viable, nonviable, regenerable, and/or nonregenerable.

The invention provides a commodity product that is derived from corn plants comprising event MON 87411 and that contains a detectable amount of a nucleic acid specific for event MON 87411. As used herein, a “commodity product” refers to any composition or product which contains material derived from a corn plant, whole or processed corn seed, one or more plant cells and/or plant parts containing the corn event MON 87411 DNA. Commodity products may be sold to consumers and may be viable or nonviable. Nonviable commodity products include but are not limited to nonviable corn seeds; processed corn seeds, corn seed parts, and corn plant parts; corn seeds and corn plant parts processed for feed or food, oil, meal, flour, flakes, bran, biomasses, and fuel products. Viable commodity products include but are not limited to corn seeds, corn plants, and corn plant cells. The corn plants comprising event MON 87411 can thus be used to manufacture any commodity product typically acquired from corn. Any such commodity product that is derived from corn plants containing corn event MON 87411 DNA that contains at least a detectable amount of one or more specific and unique DNA molecules, the presence of which are determinative of corn event MON 87411, and specifically may contain a detectable amount of a polynucleotide comprising a DNA molecule having at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO:52. Any standard method of detection for nucleotide molecules may be used, including methods of detection disclosed herein. A commodity product is within the scope of the invention if there is any detectable amount of a DNA molecule having at least one diagnostic sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52 in the commodity product.

The plants, progeny, seeds, plant cells, plant parts (such as pollen, ovule, ear or silk, tassel, root or stem tissue, and leaves), and commodity products of the invention are therefore useful for, among other things, growing plants for the purpose of producing seed and/or plant parts comprising corn event MON 87411 for agricultural purposes, producing progeny comprising corn event MON 87411 for plant breeding and research purposes, use with microbiological techniques for industrial and research applications, and sale to consumers.

The invention provides methods for controlling weeds and methods for producing plants using glyphosate herbicide and corn event MON 87411. A method for controlling weeds in a field is provided and consists of planting corn event MON 87411 containing varietal or hybrid plants in a field and applying a herbicidally effective dose of glyphosate to the field for the purpose of controlling weeds in the field without injuring the MON 87411 containing plants. Such application of glyphosate herbicide may be pre-emergence, i.e., any time after MON 87411 containing seed is planted and before MON 87411 containing plants emerge, or post-emergence, i.e., any time after MON 87411 containing plants emerge. Another method for controlling weeds in a field is also provided and consists of applying an effective dose of glyphosate herbicide to control weeds in a field and then planting corn plants comprising event MON 87411 in the field. Such application of glyphosate herbicide would be pre-planting, i.e., before MON 87411 containing seed is planted, and could be done any time pre-planting including, but not limited to, about 14 days pre-planting to about 1 day pre-planting. The invention also provides a method for producing corn seed essentially free of weed seeds by planting seeds of a glyphosate tolerant corn plant comprising MON 87411 in a field, applying a post-emergence effective dose of glyphosate herbicide sufficient to kill the weed to the field, and harvesting seed from the field. A herbicidally effective dose of glyphosate for use in the field should consist of a range from about 0.125 pounds per acre to about 6.4 pounds per acre of glyphosate over a growing season. In one embodiment, a total of about 1.5 pounds per acre of glyphosate is applied over a growing season. Multiple applications of glyphosate may be used over a growing season, for example, two applications (such as a pre-planting application and a post-emergence application or a pre-emergence application and a post-emergence application) or three applications (such as a pre-planting application, a pre-emergence application, and a post-emergence application).

Methods for producing an insect and herbicide tolerant corn plant comprising the DNA sequences specific and unique to event MON 87411 of the invention are provided. Transgenic plants used in these methods may be homozygous or heterozygous for the transgene. Progeny plants produced by these methods may be varietal or hybrid plants; may be grown from seeds produced by a corn event MON 87411 containing plant and/or from seeds produced by a plant fertilized with pollen from a corn event MON 87411 containing plant; and may be homozygous or heterozygous for the transgene. Progeny plants may be subsequently self-pollinated to generate a true breeding line of plants, i.e., plants homozygous for the transgene, or alternatively may be outcrossed, e.g., bred with another unrelated plant, to produce a varietal or a hybrid seed or plant.

Methods of detecting the presence of DNA derived from a corn cell, tissue, seed, or plant comprising corn event MON 87411 in a sample are provided. One method consists of (i) extracting a DNA sample from at least one corn cell, tissue, seed, or plant, (ii) contacting the DNA sample with at least one primer that is capable of producing DNA sequence specific to event MON 87411 DNA under conditions appropriate for DNA sequencing, (iii) performing a DNA sequencing reaction, and then (iv) confirming that the nucleotide sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence specific for event MON 87411, or the construct comprised therein, such as one selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52. Another method consists of (i) extracting a DNA sample from at least one corn cell, tissue, seed, or plant, (ii) contacting the DNA sample with a primer pair that is capable of producing an amplicon from event MON 87411 DNA under conditions appropriate for DNA amplification, (iii) performing a DNA amplification reaction, and then (iv) detecting the amplicon molecule and/or confirming that the nucleotide sequence of the amplicon comprises a nucleotide sequence specific for event MON 87411, such as one selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:21 and SEQ ID NO:25. The amplicon should be one that is specific for event MON 87411, such as an amplicon that comprises SEQ ID NO:21 or SEQ ID NO:25. The detection of a nucleotide sequence specific for event MON 87411 in the amplicon is determinative and/or diagnostic for the presence of the corn event MON 87411 specific DNA in the sample. An example of a primer pair that is capable of producing an amplicon from event MON 87411 DNA under conditions appropriate for DNA amplification is provided as SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:20, and SEQ ID NO:22. Other primer pairs may be readily designed by one of skill in the art and would produce an amplicon comprising SEQ ID NO:21 or SEQ ID NO:25, wherein such a primer pair comprises at least one primer within the genomic region flanking the insert and a second primer within the insert. Another method of detecting the presence of DNA derived from a corn cell, tissue, seed, or plant comprising corn event MON 87411 in a sample consists of (i) extracting a DNA sample from at least one corn cell, tissue, seed, or plant, (ii) contacting the DNA sample with a DNA probe specific for event MON 87411 DNA, (iii) allowing the probe and the DNA sample to hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions, and then (iv) detecting hybridization between the probe and the target DNA sample. An example of the sequence a DNA probe that is specific for event MON 87411 DNA is provided as SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:23. Other probes may be readily designed by one of skill in the art and would comprise at least one fragment of genomic DNA flanking the insert and at least one fragment of insert DNA, such as sequences provided in, but not limited to, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:21, and SEQ ID NO:25. Detection of probe hybridization to the DNA sample is diagnostic for the presence of corn event MON 87411 specific DNA in the sample. Absence of hybridization is alternatively diagnostic of the absence of corn event MON 87411 specific DNA in the sample.

DNA detection kits are provided that are useful for the identification of corn event MON 87411 DNA in a sample and can also be applied to methods for breeding corn plants containing the appropriate event DNA. Such kits contain DNA primers and/or probes comprising fragments of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52. One example of such a kit comprises at least one DNA molecule of sufficient length of contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52 to function as a DNA probe useful for detecting the presence and/or absence of DNA derived from transgenic corn plants comprising event MON 87411 in a sample. The DNA derived from transgenic corn plants comprising event MON 87411 would comprise a DNA molecule having at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52. A DNA molecule sufficient for use as a DNA probe is provided that is useful for determining, detecting, or diagnosing the presence and/or absence of corn event MON 87411 DNA in a sample is provided as SEQ ID NO:19 and SEQ ID NO:23. Other probes may be readily designed by one of skill in the art and should comprise a sufficient number of contiguous nucleic acids, including at least 15, at least 16, at least 17, at least 18, at least 19, at least 20, at least 21, at least 22, at least 23, at least 24, at least 25, at least 26, at least 27, at least 28, at least 29, at least 30, at least 31, at least 32, at least 33, at least 34, at least 35, at least 36, at least 37, at least 38, at least 39, or at least 40 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52 and be sufficiently unique to corn event MON 87411 DNA in order to identify DNA derived from the event. Another type of kit comprises a primer pair useful for producing an amplicon useful for detecting the presence and/or absence of DNA derived from transgenic corn event MON 87411 in a sample. Such a kit would employ a method comprising contacting a target DNA sample with a primer pair as described herein, then performing a nucleic acid amplification reaction sufficient to produce an amplicon comprising a DNA molecule having at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:21 and SEQ ID NO:25, and then detecting the presence and/or absence of the amplicon. Such a method may also include sequencing the amplicon or a fragment thereof, which would be determinative of, i.e. diagnostic for, the presence of the corn event MON 87411 specific DNA in the target DNA sample. Other primer pairs may be readily designed by one of skill in the art and should comprise a sufficient number of contiguous nucleic acids, including at least 15, at least 16, at least 17, at least 18, at least 19, at least 20, at least 21, at least 22, at least 23, at least 24, at least 25, at least 26, at least 27, at least 28, at least 29, or at least 30 contiguous nucleotides of sequences provided in, but not limited to SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, or SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44, SEQ ID NO: 45, SEQ ID NO: 49, SEQ ID NO: 50, SEQ ID NO: 51, and SEQ ID NO: 52 and be sufficiently unique to corn event MON 87411 DNA in order to identify DNA derived from the event.

The kits and detection methods of the invention are useful for, among other things, identifying corn event MON 87411, selecting plant varieties or hybrids comprising corn event MON 87411, detecting the presence of DNA derived from the transgenic corn plants comprising event MON 87411 in a sample, and monitoring samples for the presence and/or absence of corn plants comprising event MON 87411 or plant parts derived from corn plants comprising event MON 87411.

The sequence of the heterologous DNA insert, junction sequences, or flanking sequences from corn event MON 87411 can be verified (and corrected if necessary) by amplifying such sequences from the event using primers derived from the sequences provided herein followed by standard DNA sequencing of the amplicon or of the cloned DNA.

The following examples are included to demonstrate examples of certain preferred embodiments of the invention. It should be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the techniques disclosed in the examples that follow represent approaches the inventors have found function well in the practice of the invention, and thus can be considered to constitute examples of preferred modes for its practice. However, those of skill in the art should, in light of the present disclosure, appreciate that many changes can be made in the specific embodiments that are disclosed and still obtain a like or similar result without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A deposit of a representative sample of corn seed comprising event MON 87411 has been made on Mar. 14, 2012 according to the Budapest Treaty with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) having an address at 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. USA, Zip Code 20110, and assigned ATCC Accession No. PTA-12669. Access to the deposits will be available during the pendency of the application to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and persons determined by the Commissioner to be entitled thereto upon request. Upon issuance of the patent, all restrictions upon availability to the public will be irrevocably removed. The deposit will be maintained in the depository for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the last request, or for the effective life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced as necessary during that period.

EXAMPLES Example 1

This example describes the design and selection of a construct designated 417 and the engineering and evaluation of different DNA constructs. Table 1 tabulates these DNA constructs by test criteria and results.

DNA constructs were engineered to express an RNA-based plant-incorporated protectant (PIP) in corn, targeting Western corn rootworm (WCR). Variations of the RNA transcript were tested for different target genes of WCR (Group 1), different lengths of RNA (Group 2), with or without neutral RNA carrier (Group 2), different secondary structures (Group 4), and different target segments of Dv_Snf7o (Groups 2 and 3). Variations on multiple transgenes were also tested, e.g., the RNA transcript+a WCR-active protein (Groups 3 and 5), and two RNA transcripts targeting two WCR targets (Groups 1 and 4). Variations on the number and configuration of expression cassettes and elements used were also tested (all groups).

TABLE 1 Forty-five DNA constructs were stably transformed into corn plants. Progeny plants from multiple transformation events per DNA construct were evaluated. Con- struct Group Criteria and Results 043 1 Tested inhibition of WCR activity on plants expressing 043 vector stacked combinations of RNA segments targeting 059 transcripts of 4 different WCR endogenous genes. WCR activity was inhibited on plants expressing an RNA segment targeting the Dv_Snf7o gene transcript. 503 2 Tested inhibition of WCR activity on plants expressing 475 various sizes of RNA segments targeting the Dv_Snf7o 970 gene transcript (from a 27-mer up to a 429-mer) 474 engineered to express as an inverted-repeat RNA (IR). 477 Also tested a 150-mer neutral IR carrier that was 306 embedded with and without a 27-mer targeting 476 Dv_Snf7o. 713 Optimal WCR activity was observed on plants expressing Dv_Snf7o target segments equal or longer than 100 base pairs in length. 868 3 Tested inhibition of WCR activity on plants expressing: 870 (a) a 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR, and (b) a pair of proteins 871 TIC809 and TIC810 having WCR inhibitory activity; 875 both under one expression cassette in one DNA 310 construct. 311 Tested inhibition of WCR activity on plants expressing: 330 (a) the 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR, and (b) the pair of 331 proteins TIC809 and TIC810 having WCR inhibitory 950 activity; each independently- and operably-linked to 890 separate expression cassettes in one DNA construct. 867 Tested these IR + protein combinations using different 946 combinations of different promoters and expression 878 cassette configurations. 823 In-planta expression of the 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR 879 inhibited WCR activity on such plants, with or without 880 expression of the TIC809 and TIC810 protein pair. 401 354 4 Tested progeny plants of a hybrid cross between plants 253 containing events harboring DNA construct #503 (a 429- 254 mer Dv_Snf7o IR) and plants comprising event MON 255 88017 (Cry3Bb). 256 Tested inhibition of WCR activity on plants expressing a 892 150- or 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR. 365 Tested inhibition of WCR activity on plants expressing: (a) Dv_Snf7o IR, and (b) vATPase A IR. Tested IR versus non-IR secondary RNA structures for suppressing Dv_Snf7o, vATPase A, and the combination. In-planta Expression of the 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR inhibited WCR activity, with or without expression of the vATPase A RNA segment. WCR inhibition was better in-planta when Dv_Snf7o IR was expressed together with Cry3Bb, when compared to expressing Dv_Snf7o IR alone or Cry3Bb alone. 416 5 Tested inhibition of WCR activity on plants expressing 417 both (a) the 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR, and (b) the Cry3Bb 418 protein having Diabrotica virgifera pesticidal activity; 419 each transgene in separate expression cassettes in a DNA 423 construct. 402 Tested ten DNA constructs having combinations of 403 different promoters, and combinations of different 404 expression cassette configurations. 405 DNA construct #417 was selected. 406

Using the DNA constructs of Group 2 as an example, 7 DNA constructs were engineered to test the targeting of various lengths of Dv_Snf7o (from 27 up to 429 nt in length). Each DNA construct was produced, plant cells transformed, plants obtained, and inbreds evaluated in growth chamber efficacy bioassays. Results showed a correlation between length of inverted repeat RNA (IR) and WCR activity (Table 2, columns (B) and (H)).

TABLE 2 Correlation between length of IR and WCR-activity. (F) (G) (B) No. of R₀ No. of (A) Dv_Snf7o (C) (D) plants events (H) DNA RNA No. of No. of (E) expected to advanced for WCR- Construct segment embryos embryos No. of R₀ harbor a multi-plant activity on No. length (nt) transformed w/shoots plants to soil single event testing plants? 503 429 2085 433 308 233 78 +++++ 475 150 230 57 45 39 23 +++++ 970  27† 220 79 47 44 21 ++ 474  27 230 81 51 49 23 − 477  50 220 50 36 31 23 ++ 306  75 230 37 27 18 15 ++ 476 100 220 53 40 33 22 +++++

Column (B) displays the variable lengths of Dv_Snf7o target RNA engineered to express as an inverted repeat RNA (IR) secondary structure in corn plants. Column (C) displays the number of corn embryos that were transformed. Column (D) displays the number of corn embryos that developed shoots. Column (E) displays the number of regenerated corn plants (designated as generation R0) viable on soil. Column (F) displays the number of R0 plants expected to harbor a single copy of insert DNA in the transformation event. Column (G) displays the number of R0 plants that were expected to harbor a single transformation event, and that produced enough seed for multi-plant growth chamber bioassay. Column (H) displays the results of plant growth chamber studies designed to evaluate WCR-activity. “+++++” indicates average RDR was less than 0.5 RDR. “++” indicates average RDR was between 0.5 RDR and 2.0 RDR. “−” means average RDR was about 2.0 RDR, which was comparable to negative controls in growth chamber efficacy studies.

† the same 27-mer as in DNA construct #474 but embedded in a neutral 150-mer IR. To evaluate WCR activity on plants grown in growth chambers, 6 to 8 plants for each of 10-20 events per construct were grown in peat pots. Plants were tested for the presence of the insert DNA and for expression of the transgene(s) in both leaf and root tissues. Plants confirmed to have expression of the transgene were then transplanted into larger pots infested with WCR eggs. Non-transgenic corn lines LH59 and LH244 were included as negative controls. Plants containing event MON 88017 (expressing Cry3Bb) were included as positive controls. Root damage of the growing corn plants was assessed after 4 weeks. Root damage ratings (RDR) were assessed on a three-point scale, with 0 RDR having no root damage and 3 RDR having maximum root damage.

Study results guided the design of the DNA constructs of Group 5 to contain (a) an expression cassette for a 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR, and (b) an expression cassette for a Cry3Bb protein (FIG. 2). The 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR was selected because (a) plants expressing the identical 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR were repeatedly successful in inhibiting CRW activity (Groups 2-4), (b) segments larger than 100 nt in length decrease the probability of development of WCR resistance, and (c) segments larger than 240 nt would make it more difficult to transfer intact into the corn genome. The DNA constructs were designed to test different regulatory genetic elements in each expression cassette and different configurations of each expression cassette in the DNA construct. DNA constructs of Group 5 also included constructs with and without glyphosate tolerance expression cassettes; and a control construct from group 3 that expressed only the 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR. Each DNA construct was designed, plant cells transformed, plants obtained, and inbreds evaluated in growth chamber efficacy bioassays (Table 3 (C) through (H)).

TABLE 3 Plant production numbers from transformation of Group 5 DNA constructs. (F) (G) (H) (D) (E) Number of Number of Inbred and (A) (B) (C) Number Number R₀ plants R₀ events hybrid DNA DNA Number of of of R₀ expected to advanced to progeny Construct construct embryos embryos plants to harbor a growth plant No. composition transformed w/shoots soil single event chamber performance  (1) 416 Dv_Snf7o 820 72 72 42 27 +++++  (2) 417 IR + 521 212 94 71 44 +++++  (3) 418 Cry3Bb + 588 79 65 44 28 +++++  (4) 419 EPSPS 651 106 95 68 43 ++++  (5) 423 754 93 84 66 41 ++++  (6) 402 786 84 84 58 43 ++++  (7) 403 714 199 84 46 40 ++++  (8) 404 740 50 50 34 29 ++++  (9) 405 Dv_Snf7o 21663 1586 1586 86 58 +++ (10) 406 IR + 21965 1539 1539 170 112 ++++ Cry3Bb (11) 890 Dv_Snf7o 3996 656 394 235 136 +++ IR Column (A) lists the DNA constructs tested in stage 5 (also see FIG. 2 for breakdown of the genetic elements). Column (B) displays the combination of transgene. Column (C) displays the number of corn embryos that were transformed. Column (D) displays the number of corn embryos that developed shoots. Column (E) displays the number of regenerated corn plants (designated as generation R₀) viable on soil. Column (F) displays the number of R₀ plants expected to harbor a single transformation event. Column (G) displays the number of R₀ plants expected to harbor a single transformation event, and that produced enough seed for subsequent multi-plant testing. Column (H) summarizes the performance of plants infested with WCR (See following paragraph for details).

As shown in Table 3, column (H), “+++++” describes DNA constructs that on average provided the highest sustained gene expression to transgenic plants throughout their development, most WCR inhibition during development, and most WCR inhibition in self-fertilized and cross-hybridized generations. “++++” describes DNA constructs that on average provided WCR inhibition to transgenic plants but lower gene expression when compared to the “+++++” plants. “+++” describes DNA constructs that on average provided lower WCR inhibition to transgenic plants when compared to the “++++” and “+++++” plants. Therefore, DNA construct #417 was advanced for further analysis. This construct has sixteen genetic elements organized into three expression cassettes from the Left Border (LB) through to the Right Border (RB). The construct is shown in FIG. 2 and the sequence given in SEQ ID NO:26. The vector components are as follows:

[1] LB: Corresponds to the reverse complement of positions 1 through 442 of SEQ ID NO:26. This element represents the octopine Left border sequence from Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

[2] Ps.RbcS2-E9 3′ UTR: Corresponds to the reverse complement of positions 486 through 1118 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents 3′ untranslated region (UTR) from the ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit E9 (rbcS-E9) gene transcript from Pisum sativum (pea).

[3] 240-mer Dv_Snf7o inverted repeat gene: Corresponds to the reverse complement of positions 1148 through 1777 of SEQ ID NO:26. This gene transcribes RNA containing two 240-mer ribonucleotide segments that align identically to each other in reverse complement fashion, separated by a neutral segment of 150 ribonucleotides, and forming an inverted repeat RNA (IR). The sequence of the 240-bp segment aligns to a WCR gene orthologous to yeast Snf7.

[4] Corn DnaK intron: Corresponds to the reverse complement of positions 1814 through 2617 of SEQ ID NO:26. This element consists of 10 nucleotides of exon 1, intron 1, and 11 nucleotides of exon 2 from the heat shock protein 70 gene from Zea mays (corn). The 11 nucleotides of exon 2 were modified to remove an initiating methionine residue.

[5] CaMV 35S leader: Corresponds to the reverse complement of positions 2618-2626 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) from the 35S RNA transcript of the Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) beginning at the +1 position of the mRNA transcriptional start of the gene.

[6] eCaMV 35S promoter: Corresponds to the reverse complement of positions 2627-3238 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents the promoter of 35S RNA from Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) containing a duplication of the −90 to −350 region.

[7] Corn PIIG promoter: Corresponds to positions 3265-4213 of SEQ ID NO:26. This genetic element represents the promoter of the physical impedance induced protein (PIIG) gene from Zea mays.

[8] Wheat Lhcb1 leader: Corresponds to positions 4220-4280 of SEQ ID NO:26. This genetic element represents the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of the light harvesting complex b1 (Lhcb1) gene from Triticum aestivum (wheat).

[9] Rice Act1 intron: Corresponds to positions 4297-4776 of SEQ ID NO:26. Consists of a contiguous sequence of 12 nucleotides of exon 1, intron 1, and 7 nucleotides of exon 2 from the Actin 1 (Act1) gene of Oryza sativa (rice).

[10] Cry3Bb ORF: Corresponds to positions 4786-6747 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents the coding region of a non-naturally occurring pesticidal Cry3B protein engineered to exhibit modifications H231R, S311L, N313T, E317K, and Q349R as compared to the native Bt Cry3Bb protein encoding gene. The nucleotide sequence aligns to the cry3Bb gene sequence contained in event MON 88017.

[11] Wheat Hsp17 3′ UTR: Corresponds to positions 6767-6976 of SEQ ID NO:26. This genetic element represents the 3′ UTR of the heat shock protein 17 (HSP17) gene from Triticum aestivum (wheat).

[12] Rice TubA (promoter, leader, intron): Corresponds to positions 7025-9205 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents the contiguous promoter, leader, intron, and 4 nucleotides of exon 2 from the alpha tubulin gene (TubA-3) of Oryza sativa (rice).

[13] CTP: Corresponds to positions 9210-9437 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents engineered coding region encoding the N-terminal CTP from 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) from A. thaliana. This element differs from the native gene (GenBank Accession No. X06613) at the last GAG codon (glutamic acid) by modification to TGC (cysteine).

[14] CP4 EPSPS: Corresponds to positions 9438-10805 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents engineered coding region of the EPSPS from Agrobacterium CP4. Differs from the native Agrobacterium gene at the second codon by modification from encoding serine to CTT (leucine) and four silent substitutions.

[15] Rice TubA 3′ UTR: Corresponds to positions 10813-11394 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of an alpha tubulin gene (TubA-3) from Oryza sativa (rice).

[16] RB: Corresponds to positions 11413-11743 of SEQ ID NO:26. Represents nopaline right border sequence from A. tumefaciens.

Example 2

This example describes the transformation and selection of event MON 87411 from among a plurality of transgenic events.

Embryos were excised from kernels of corn line LH244, and inoculated with recombinant Agrobacterium harboring DNA construct #417. Co-cultured embryos were transferred onto selection and growth media to generate transgenic callus tissue with developing shoots. Developing shoots were transferred to rooting medium for development into plantlets. Plantlets were regenerated into whole R₀ plants in soil. R₀ plants recovered this way were screened for a single copy of introduced construct DNA. As shown in Table 3, putative single-copy events were provided in 71 unique R₀ transformants. Each R₀ transformant was placed under nursery conditions to produce progeny R₁ seed. Forth-four events were advanced. At least 8 R₁ seeds produced by each of the 44 R₀ plants were planted in soil and R₁ plants were grown to produce R₂ seed. A single R₁ plant per event was selected to continue each line containing each separate event, and seed from the single R₁ plant was bulked for subsequent testing by (a) self-fertilization (R_(3, 4, . . . . , N)), and (b) cross-fertilization with other corn lines, e.g., corn line 93IDI3. Plants representing events from transformation of DNA construct #890 (row 11 of Table 3) were also regenerated to serve as comparative controls for subsequent field trials described below and in this example.

Of the 44 events, 25 events were chosen to go forward based on a phenotype including Cry3Bb expression. The R₁ plants representing these 25 events were further evaluated for WCR inhibition in growth chamber efficacy methods described in Example 1, and for copy-number of multiple genetic elements of the insert DNA. Seventeen events out of the 25 events were taken forward, as four events exhibited more than one copy of the Ps.RbcS2-E9 3′ UTR genetic element, and R₁ plants representing 4 other events exhibited root damage ratings greater than 0.8 RDR.

Progeny plants comprising the remaining 17 events, i.e., “A”, MON 87411, and “C” through “Q”, were further analyzed in parallel for molecular and for in-field performance (see Tables 4 and 5).

TABLE 4 Molecular analysis of 17 transgenic corn events harboring insert DNA from DNA transformation vector #417. (D) (E) (B) Above Above Single Insert threshold threshold IR (F) (G) (A) and Single Cry3Bb Dv_Snf7o Neutral Expected Backbone Copy- (C) protein dsRNA insertion transcript Event absent number Intact insert expression expression site size A + + + + + + + MON 87411 + + + + + + + C + + + + + + + D + + − + + + + E + + + + + − NA F + + + + + − NA G + + + + + − NA H + + NA NA NA NA NA I + + NA NA NA NA NA J + + NA NA NA NA NA K + − NA NA NA NA NA L − − NA NA NA NA NA M − + NA NA NA NA NA N − − NA NA NA NA NA O − + NA NA NA NA NA P − − NA NA NA NA NA Q − − NA NA NA NA NA “−” indicates that the event did not meet the molecular criteria of the corresponding molecular analysis. “+” indicates that the event met the molecular criteria of the corresponding molecular analysis. “NA” indicates that the data was not available.

Events were screened for backbone DNA segments of the Agrobacterium transformation vector and for single copy-number of all portions of the intended insert DNA (Table 4, Columns (A) and (B)). Seven events (MON 87411, A, C, D, E, F, and G) were analyzed for sequence of the inserted DNA which identical to the transformation vector #417, with the exception of nick site variations at the agrobacterium left and right borders that occur during Agro-mediated insertion, event D failed this sequence analysis (Table 4, Column (C)). These 7 events were also evaluated for sustained plant expression of Cry3Bb protein and Dv_Snf7o IR RNA throughout plant development and several generations, and all 7 events met the passing criteria for sustained plant expression (Table 4, Column (D)). Each of the 7 events were analyzed for genomic insertion site characteristics (i.e., neutral insertion site), such as DNA displacement, duplications and repetitiveness, proximity to an endogenous gene, interruption of an endogenous gene, and proximity to QTLs and biotech traits, events E, F, and G failed this analysis (Table 4, Column (F)). Northern blots were performed on plant tissue containing events MON 87411, A, C, and D to determine if the expected sizes of the two RNA transcript encoding Cry3Bb, or producing the Dv_Snf7o IR RNA were present in RNA from the events, and all events evaluated passed this criteria (Table 4, Column (G)).

These 17 events were evaluated in agronomic, insect efficacy and glyphosate tolerance efficacy field trials, the results are summarized in Table 5. The column headers of Table 5 describe the type of field trial (“Agronomics”, “Insect”, or “Glyphosate”), the controls to which the events were being compared/contrasted are listed, and the genetic inbred used to generate event hybrid is also listed. The field trials summarized in columns (A) through (C) were planted one calendar year before the field trials summarized in columns (D) through (H), and two years before the field trials summarized in column (I).

TABLE 5 Results from Agronomic, Insect efficacy, and glyphosate efficacy field trials of events generated with transformation vector #417. (C) (F) (G) (H) (A) (B) Insect (D) Glyphosate Glyphosate Insect (I) Type of field trial Agronomics Agronomics Efficacy Agronomics Efficacy Efficacy Efficacy Agronomics Controls used as LH244, LH244 x 93ID13, LH244, LH244, MON 88017 MON 88017 MON 88017, LH244, comparison #890 #890 MON 88017, MON 88017 #890 #890 #890

R3 inbred R3 inbred R2 inbred X 93ID13 R5 inbred R5 inbred R4 inbred X MON 89034 R4 inbred X MON 89034 R5 inbred Test Event A = = <0.10 RDR = = = ~0.10 RDR − MON 87411 = = NA = = = ~0.10 RDR = C = = ~0.10 RDR = − NA NA NA D = = ~0.10 RDR + = = ~0.20 RDR NA E = = NA + = = ~0.15 RDR = F = = NA + − NA NA NA G = = NA + = = ~0.15 RDR = H‡ − = ~0.10 RDR NA NA NA NA NA I‡ − = NA NA NA NA NA NA J‡ = = NA NA NA NA NA NA K − = ~0.15 RDR = NA NA NA NA L = = NA = NA NA NA NA M = = ~0.20 RDR + NA NA NA NA N − = NA − NA NA NA NA O = = NA NA NA NA NA NA P − = NA NA NA NA NA NA Q = = NA NA NA NA NA NA

Events were compared to control(s) in each field trial. Data for each field trial were averaged by replicate plots over multiple locations. LH244 is the control for the transformation line. The DNA vector “#890” was used to produce events expressing only the 240-mer Dv_Snf7o IR. The commercial event, MON 88017, which provides coleopteran resistance and glyphosate tolerance to corn plants was used as a control. “R_(N) inbred” specifies the N^(th) generation progeny. Hybrid events evaluated in the field trials were grown from seed harvested from a cross with one parent from the event under evaluation (MON 87411, or A through Q), and one parent as indicated in Table 5 (Column C, G, or H). Specifically, in Table 5, column R2 inbred X 93IDI3 specifies that an R2 inbred of the event under evaluation was crossed with inbred corn line 93IDI3 to make the hybrid seed. Similarly, in Table 5, columns G and H, R4 inbred X MON 89034 specifies that an R4 inbred progeny of the event under evaluation was crossed with a plant containing event MON 89034 to make the hybrid seed. “NA” indicates that data for this test event was not available. “=” represents trait equivalency compared to controls. “−” represents a trait hit compared to controls. “+” represents an increase in performance compared to controls. “RDR” is root damage rating. “‡” represents that contemporaneous greenhouse studies showed that the applicable event exhibited phenotypic off-types in plants grown in the nursery. “†” represents that contemporaneous greenhouse studies showed that the applicable event did not provide WCR efficacy.

Agronomic field trials were conducted at multiple North American and South American locations, the results were averaged across all locations. as summarized Table 5, columns A, B, D, and I. For these agronomic field trials, corn kernels were planted in a randomized complete block (RCB) design in triplicate plots per event per location. Each replicate plot consisted of 100 kernels. Trial maintenance was designed to optimize grain production and eliminate natural WCR pressure One or more of the following standard agronomic field trial ratings were collected: degree units to 50% shed (GDU), Breeder's score (BR), seedling vigor (SDV), stalk lodging (STLC), root lodging (RTLC), ear height of mature plants (EHT), plant height of mature plants (PHT), grain moisture (MST), and grain test weight (TWT), phenotypic off-types, and grain yield. Both inbred and hybrid events were evaluated and the results are summarized in Table 5, columns A, B, D, and I. Appropriate controls were included in triplicate plots per control per location. The ratings were averaged by plot across all locations. Data were subjected to an analysis of variance and means separated at the least significant difference at the 5% probability level (LSD (0.05)).

Results of insect efficacy field trials that included analyses for WCR damage averaged across multiple North American locations are summarized in Table 5, columns C and H. For these efficacy field trials, corn kernels were planted in a RCB design in triplicate plots per event per location; each replicate plot consisted of 25 kernels. Test events were presented in hybrid plants. Appropriate controls were included in triplicate plots per control per location. When plots of corn reached their V2 growth stage, 5 plants per plot were infested with WCR eggs at a rate of 3,330 eggs per plant. During the V10 growth stage, the roots of the 5 infested plants per plot were dug up, washed, and evaluated for feeding damage based on a root damage rating (RDR) of 0 to 3, with 0 RDR having no root damage and 3 RDR having maximum root damage. RDRs for test events and control plants were averaged by plant across all plots in all locations. Negative control plants of each insect efficacy field trial exhibited respective average RDRs of 1.7 and 1.5 RDR. Commercial checks of each insect efficacy field trial exhibited respective average RDRs of 0.25 and 0.20 RDR. Plants containing events from DNA construct #890 exhibited a range of RDRs from about 0.35 to 0.50 RDR. Events from DNA Construct #417 consistently provided plants with average RDR scores less than the economic injury threshold of 0.25 RDR.

Results of efficacy field trials evaluating vegetative tolerance to glyphosate herbicide treatments were conducted across multiple North American locations and are summarized in Table 5, columns F and G. For these efficacy field trials, the glyphosate application regimen used for the specific trial is presented in Table 6 (corresponding to Table 5, column F) and Table 7 (corresponding to Table 5, column G).

TABLE 6 Herbicide Field Trial Treatments. Schedule Treatment Rate (lbs ae/A) (by plant stage) Glyphosate 1.5 V2 Glyphosate 1.5, 0.75, 0.75 V2, V8, V10 Glyphosate 1.5, 1.125, 1.125 V2, V8, V10 “lbs ae” indicates pound acid equivalent. “A” indicates acre.

TABLE 7 Herbicide Field Trial Treatments. Schedule Treatment Rate (lbs ae/A) (by plant stage) Untreated 0.0 n/a Glyphosate 1.5, 1.5 V4, V8 Glyphosate 3.0, 3.0 V4, V8 Glyphosate 4.5, 4.5 V4, V8 “lbs ae” indicates pound acid equivalent. “A” indicates acre.

Each plot of 100 plants was rated for crop injury 7-10 days after the last spray of each treatment. Crop injury ratings included chlorosis, malformation, and average lower plant height, all of which indicate lower tolerance to the glyphosate herbicide. Each plot was also rated for PHT, EHT, days to 50% pollen shed (D50P), days to 50% silk emergence (D50S), TWT, MST, and yield. Events were provided as inbred plants and hybrid plants and compared to event MON 88017. Events “A”, MON 87411, “D”, “E”, and “G” were equivalent to event MON 88017 relative to crop injury, PHT, EHT, D50P, D50S, TWT, MST, and yield ratings. Based on these results coupled with the significant RDR advantage of event MON 87411 compared to other events and to the commercial MON88017 event, event MON 87411 was selected.

Example 3

This example describes the molecular characterization of event MON 87411. A sample of Leaf tissue was sampled from an (R₀) MON 87411 plant. Sequencing of the genomic DNA corresponding to the transgenic insertion site in event MON 87411 was obtained and no differences were observed compared to the sequence in the transformation vector corresponding to vector #417.

The flanking sequences were mapped to corn genome reference sequences, including the maize B73 reference genome (Ref B73). Event MON 87411 was determined to be physically located on chromosome 9. The flanking sequence ending at the left flank/insert DNA junction corresponds to position ZM_B73_CR09:39261797. The flanking sequence ending at the right flank/insert DNA junction corresponds to position ZM_B73_CR09:39261915. The flanking sequences for event MON 87411 were analyzed for genome duplications, repeats, and endogenous genes. None were detected.

The sequence analysis of the inserted DNA in event MON 87411 confirmed that only 263 nucleotides of the Agrobacterium left border (arbitrarily set as the 5′ end of the insert), and only 15 nucleotides of the Agrobacterium right border (arbitrarily set as the 3′ end of the insert) were retained in the inserted DNA at the genomic insertion site of event MON 87411.

A comparative analysis of the genomic sequence flanking the inserted DNA of event MON 87411 and the corresponding genomic region of the site of insertion in the wild-type allele from LH244 was conducted. This analysis determined that a 118 base pair segment of LH244 genomic DNA was displaced by the inserted DNA of the transformation vector #417 in the process of generating event MON 87411.

Example 4

This example describes methods which are useful in identifying the presence of DNA derived from event MON 87411 in a corn sample. A pair of primers and a probe were designed for the purpose of identifying the unique junction formed between the genomic DNA and the arbitrarily assigned 5′ end of the inserted DNA of event MON 87411 (i.e., the left junction) and encompassed in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, or SEQ ID NO:21. The sequence of the oligonucleotide forward primer SQ27011 (SEQ ID NO:18) is identical to the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 462 through 490 of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2, positions 107 through 135 of SEQ ID NO:7, positions 72 through 100 of SEQ ID NO:6, positions 12 through 40 of SEQ ID NO:5, and positions 1 through 29 of SEQ ID NO:21. The sequence of the oligonucleotide reverse primer SQ9085 (SEQ ID NO:20) is identical to the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 516 through 541 of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2, positions 161 through 186 of SEQ ID NO:7, positions 126 through 151 of SEQ ID NO:6, positions 66 through 91 of SEQ ID NO:5, positions 16 through 41 of SEQ ID NO:4, and positions 55 through 80 of SEQ ID NO:21. The sequence of the oligonucleotide probe PB3552 (SEQ ID NO:19) is identical to the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 502 through 515 of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2, positions 147 through 160 of SEQ ID NO:7, positions 112 through 125 of SEQ ID NO:6, positions 52 through 65 of SEQ ID NO:5, positions 2 through 15 of SEQ ID NO:4, and positions 41 through 54 of SEQ ID NO:21. The PCR primers SQ27011 (SEQ ID NO:18) and SQ9085 (SEQ ID NO:20) amplify a 79 nucleotide amplicon of the unique the genomic/insert DNA at the left junction of event MON 87411. This same primer pair with probe PB3552 (SEQ ID NO:19), which has been fluorescently labeled (i.e., a 6FAM™ fluorescent label), can be used in an Endpoint TaqMan® PCR assay to identify the presence of DNA derived from event MON 87411 in a sample.

A pair of primers and a probe were designed for the purpose of identifying the unique junction formed between the genomic DNA and the arbitrarily assigned 3′ end of the inserted DNA of event MON 87411 (i.e., the right junction) and encompassed in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, or SEQ ID NO:25. The sequence of the oligonucleotide forward primer SQ27066 (SEQ ID NO:22) is identical to the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 11710 through 11728 of SEQ ID NO:1, positions 11210 through 11228 of SEQ ID NO:4, positions 45 through 63 of SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, and SEQ ID NO:10, and positions 1 through 19 of SEQ ID NO:25. The sequence of the oligonucleotide reverse primer SQ26977 (SEQ ID NO:24) is identical to the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 11756 through 11784 of SEQ ID NO:1, positions 91 through 117 of SEQ ID NO:8, positions 91 through 119 of SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10, positions 23 through 51 of SEQ ID NO:3, and positions 47 through 75 of SEQ ID NO:25. The sequence of the oligonucleotide probe PB11300 (SEQ ID NO:23) is identical to the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 11731 through 11755 of SEQ ID NO:1, positions 11231 through 11248 of SEQ ID NO:4, positions 66 through 90 of SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, and SEQ ID NO:10, positions 1 through 22 of SEQ ID NO:3, and positions 22 through 46 of SEQ ID NO:25. The PCR primers SQ27066 (SEQ ID NO:22) and SQ26977 (SEQ ID NO:24) amplify a 75 nucleotide amplicon of the unique the genomic/insert DNA at the right junction of event MON 87411. This same primer pair with probe PB11300 (SEQ ID NO:23), which has been fluorescently labeled (i.e., a 6FAM™ fluorescent label), can be used in an Endpoint TaqMan® PCR assay to identify the presence of DNA derived from event MON 87411 in a sample.

In addition to SQ27011, SQ9085, PB3552, SQ27066, SQ26977, and PB11300, it should be apparent to persons skilled in the art that other primers and/or probes can be designed to either amplify and/or hybridize to sequences within SEQ ID NO:1 which are unique to, and useful for, detecting the presence of DNA derived from event MON 87411 in a sample.

Based on molecular and sequence analysis, PCR assays for event identification assays were developed for event MON 87411. Following standard molecular biology laboratory practices, the parameters of either a standard PCR assay or a TaqMan® PCR assay were optimized with each set of primer pairs and probes (i.e. probes labeled with a fluorescent tag such as 6FAM™) used to detect the presence of DNA derived from event MON 87411 in a sample (SQ27011, SQ9085, and/or PB3552, or SQ27066, SQ26977, and/or PB11300). Generally, the parameters which were optimized included primer and probe concentration, amount of template DNA, and PCR amplification cycling parameters. A control for the PCR reaction included primers (SQ20221 (SEQ ID NO:38) and SQ20222 (SEQ ID NO:40)) and/or probe (PB10065 (SEQ ID NO:39)) (probe labeled with a fluorescent tag such as VIC™), which are specific for an internal control, single copy gene in the corn genome. One of skill in the art will know how to design other PCR primers specific for a single copy gene in the corn genome which can be used to amplify an amplicon to be used as an internal control probe, or as an internal control in a PCR assay (e.g. TaqMan®). DNA was extracted from leaf tissue for each of the following: [1] leaf sample to be analyzed; [2] negative control (non-transgenic corn DNA); [3] negative water control (no template); and [4] positive control MON 87411 DNA. Detection of the amplicons from a standard PCR assay would be visualization by DNA gel electrophoresis, and for a TaqMan® PCR assay by fluorescence detection.

A zygosity assay is useful for determining if a plant comprising an event is homozygous for the event DNA; that is comprising the exogenous DNA in the same location on each chromosome of a chromosomal pair; or heterozygous for an event DNA, that is comprising the exogenous DNA on only one chromosome of a chromosomal pair; or is null for the event DNA, that is wildtype. The zygosity of a corn plant containing event MON 87411 can be determined by thermal amplification (PCR) or by endpoint TaqMan® methods. For example, for PCR amplification, the primer pair SQ27011 (SEQ ID NO:18) and SQ26977 (SEQ ID NO:22) hybridize within the genomic DNA flanking the event MON 87411 insert. This primer pair will generate an amplicon which is 11323 nucleotides in length when DNA derived from event MON 87411 is present in the sample. This same primer pair will generate an amplicon which is only about 150 nucleotides long when corn DNA in the sample is not derived from event MON 87411. On DNA gel electrophoresis, a single band of 11323 bp is indicative that the DNA in the sample is from a homozygous MON 87411 event, a single band of about 150 bp is indicative that the DNA in the sample is not from a MON 87411 event, and the presence of both a band of 11323 bp and a band of about 150 bp is indicative that the DNA in the sample is from a corn plant heterozygous for MON 87411 event.

A TaqMan® assay can be developed to determine the zygosity of a corn plant containing event MON 87411. For this assay, three or four primers and two probes would be designed where [1] a first primer pair and a first probe are specific for detecting the presence of event MON 87411 DNA in a sample, and [2] a second primer pair, different from the first primer pair, and a second probe, different from the first probe, are specific for detecting the presence of wildtype corn DNA (i.e., sample not containing event MON 87411). In a TaqMan®, or similar assay, a fluorescent signal only from the first probe is indicative of and diagnostic for a plant homozygous for event MON 87411; a fluorescent signal from both the first probe and second probe is indicative of and diagnostic for a plant heterozygous for event MON 87411; and a fluorescent signal only from the second probe is indicative of and diagnostic for a plant which is homozygous for the wildtype allele (i.e., is null for event MON 87411).

Example 5

This example describes the superior protection of plant comprising event MON 87411 from corn rootworm damage when compared to current commercial products (MON 88017 and DAS-59122-7) and negative control plants. Efficacy field trials were conducted comparing 135 plants each of event MON 87411, MON 88017, DAS-59122-7, and negative controls. Root damage ratings (RDR) were collected, and the percentage plants with an RDR less than the economic injury level (0.25 RDR) is shown in Table 8.

Table 8 shows that only about 4% of plants containing event MON 87411 exhibited RDRs greater than the economic threshold of 0.25 RDR. In contrast, 22% of the commercially available plants containing MON 88017 exhibited RDRs greater than the economic threshold of 0.25 RDR. And, 20% of the commercially available plants containing DAS-59122-7 exhibited RDRs greater than the economic threshold of 0.25 RDR. And, 96% of the negative control plants exhibited RDRs greater than the economic threshold of 0.25 RDR. The conclusion from these data is that event MON 87411 is clearly superior at providing protection from corn rootworm damage as compared to commercial products MON 88071 and DAS-59122-7, and a negative control.

TABLE 8 Results of efficacy field trial with the approximate percentage of plants exhibiting ≦0.25 RDR. Approximate percentage of Event tested plants exhibiting ≦0.25 RDR event MON 87411 96 MON 88017 78 DAS-59122-7 80 negative control plants 4

Trial included 135 plants for each event tested.

Efficacy green house trials were conducted to test the performance of event MON 87411 with extreme infestation pressure of corn root worm. In this trial the following event were evaluated: event MON 87411, an event from transformation with DNA vector #890 expressing only the dsRNA; MON 88017; DAS-59122-7; and negative control. For these high-pressure efficacy trials, the corn plants under evaluation were grown in pots in a green house. Extreme infestation pressure was achieved by sequential infestation of each potted plant with approximately 2,000 WCR eggs per pot at their V2 growth stage, and, at 4 additional times occurring at 1 to 1½ week intervals with approximately 1,000 WCR eggs per pot per infestation for a total of approximately 6,000 WCR eggs added to each pot. Plant roots were removed, washed, and rated for RDR at their VT growth stage. The roots from all thirteen (N=13) negative control plants exhibited maximum root damage, or an absolute RDR of 3 RDR. These results illustrate that event MON 87411 is more superior to other corn events available for controlling corn rootworm (Table 9).

TABLE 9 Root Damage Rating (RDR) under high corn rootworm infestation pressure. Average Lower and Upper 95% Event RDR confidence limits Negative Control (N = 13) 3.0 Absolute only dsRNA (N = 11) 0.36 0.17/0.54 MON 88017(N = 11) 2.1 1.8/2.4 DAS-59122-7 (N = 16) 0.29 0.17/0.42 MON 87411 (N = 13) 0.06 0.03/0.08 (N = the number of plants evaluated).

One measure of efficacy of corn rootworm transgenic events is by a determining the emergence of adult beetles from the potted soil of plants cultivated in a green house. To determine adult corn rootworm beetle emergence from the soil of event MON 87411 plants grown in pots, 10 to 15 plants were germinated in pots containing soil infested with WCR eggs, similar to that described above. Throughout the growth period, each corn plant was covered with mesh bag to contain any emerging adult beetles.

Counts of above ground adult beetles were made at 6, 12, and 18 weeks after plant emergence, and at the end of the trial the roots were evaluated for RDR. Plants containing event MON 87411 were compared to negative control plants, and other corn rootworm protective transgenic events. The results were that significantly fewer beetles were observed to emerge from soils in which event MON 87411 plants were potted compared to the other corn rootworm protective transgenic events, illustrating the superior properties of event MON 87411 to protect against corn rootworm damage.

Example 6

This example illustrates that the orientation of expression of two different promoters in a corn cell, each driving expression of a different corn rootworm toxic agent, can result in significantly improved ratios of transgenic events exhibiting efficacy when provided in the diet of corn rootworm larvae.

Corn cells were transformed with one of four different plant transformation vectors, pMON120417, pMON120434, pMON120416, or pMON120419, and transgenic events were obtained that were regenerated into transgenic corn plants.

With reference to FIG. 4, all of the plant transformation vectors contain three expression cassettes 1, 2, and 3, bounded on one end by an Agrobacterium left border (LB), and at the opposite end by an Agrobacterium right border (RB). A corn rootworm toxic dsRNA is expressed from cassette 1 in all four vectors from an enhanced Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (e35S) promoter. A corn rootworm toxin protein, Cry3Bb, in vectors pMON120417, pMON120434 is expressed from cassette 2 from a Zm.PIIG promoter. A corn rootworm toxin protein, Cry3Bb, in vectors pMON120416, pMON120419 is expressed from cassette 2 from an Os.Rcc3 promoter. In all four vectors, a protein, conferring glyphosate herbicide tolerance, CTP-EPSPS CP4, is expressed from cassette 3 from an Os.TubA3 promoter. In all four vectors cassette 1 and cassette 3 are in the same relative orientation. With reference to FIG. 4, the block arrows indicate the direction of expression from the promoter in each of the respective cassettes.

The relative orientation of cassette 2 in vectors pMON120417 and pMON120434 is reversed, as illustrated by the block arrows (FIG. 4) indicating the direction of expression from the promoter. Expression of Cry3Bb corn rootworm toxin protein in pMON120417 from cassette 2 is divergent from the direction of expression of the corn rootworm toxic dsRNA expressed from cassette 1. Expression of Cry3Bb corn rootworm toxin protein in pMON120434 from cassette 2 is in the same orientation as expression of the corn rootworm toxic dsRNA from cassette 1.

The relative orientation of cassette 2 in vectors pMON120416 and pMON120419 is reversed, as illustrated by the block arrows (FIG. 4) indicating the direction of expression from the promoter. Expression of Cry3Bb corn rootworm toxin protein in pMON120416 from cassette 2 is divergent from the direction of expression of the corn rootworm toxic dsRNA expressed from cassette 1. Expression of Cry3Bb corn rootworm toxin protein in pMON120419 from cassette 2 is in the same orientation as expression of the corn rootworm toxic dsRNA from cassette 1.

As seen from Table 10, when tissue from transgenic corn plants was provided in the diet of Diabrotica species of corn root worm, the plants generated by transformation with either construct pMON120417 or pMON120416 (divergent expression of the corn rootworm toxic components) was more efficacious with respect to pesticidal activity when compared to plants generated by transformation with either construct pMON120434 or pMON120419 (tandem or same orientation of expression) (Table 10). The ratio of efficacious events generated from transformation using the vectors pMON120417 and pMON120416, compared to the ratio of efficacious events from the vectors pMON120416 and pMON120419, was significantly greater as shown by the data in Table 10. For example, for events generated from vector pMON120417 with the divergent promoter driven expression of the corn rootworm toxic components, 11 of 43 events, or almost 25% of the events exhibited rootworm efficacious control. In contrast, there were no efficacious events obtained for events generated from vector pMON120434 with the promoter driven expression in the tandem orientation of the corn rootworm toxic components. For events generated from vector pMON120416 with the divergent promoter driven expression of the corn rootworm toxic components, 17 of 27 events, or about 63% of the events exhibited rootworm efficacious control. In contrast, there only about 18.5% efficacious events obtained for events generated from vector pMON120419 with the promoter driven expression in the tandem orientation of the corn rootworm toxic components. These data demonstrate the significantly improved number of efficacious events, and improved ratios of transgenic events exhibiting efficacy, when transgenic corn plants are generated from a plant transformation vector with two different promoters each driving expression in divergent directions of two different corn rootworm toxic agents, and the transgenic corn plants are provided in the diet of corn rootworm larvae.

TABLE 10 Results showing the number of R0 events and the number efficacious events obtained from four plant transformation vectors. No. of R0 # Efficacious Construct Events events pMON120417 43 11 pMON120434 8 0 pMON120416 27 17 pMON120419 43 8

Example 7

To produce corn plants or plant parts thereof which comprise enhanced agronomic, insecticidal, or herbicidal properties, corn plants containing event MON 87411 can be crossed with corn plants containing potentially any other corn event or combination thereof and phenotypes evaluated to determine the resulting properties of the progeny plants. As a non-limiting example, MON 87411 can be crossed with corn plants including one or more combinations, of the following: DAS-59122-7; MIR604; MON 89034; MON 87411; MON 87427; TC1507; 5307; DAS-06275-8; BT176; BT11; and MIR162.

Example 8

This example illustrates the use of a seed blend to protect a field of crop plants comprising event MON 87411 and illustrates a few of the various combinations of transgenic crop plants and refuge crop plants that can be present in a seed blend. One of skill in the art will recognize the many various combinations available based on the present disclosure and knowledge in the art.

A blend containing various ratios of transgenic or non-transgenic seeds is deployed as refuge seed in a mixture with transgenic crop seed comprising event MON 87411. Use of such send blends provides an effective means for allowing adequate survival of susceptible corn rootworms in fields of transgenic crops to prevent or slow the rate of resistance evolution and still reduce economic loss due to corn rootworm infestation.

Transgenic seeds comprising event MON 87411 and a combination of events or transgenes conferring coleopteran resistance, such as events DAS-59122-7, MIR604, or 5307, are mixed with between 1% and 20% refuge seed that contain only events or transgenes conferring lepidopteran resistance, such as events MON810, MON 89034, TC1507, DAS-06275-8, MIR162, BT176, or BT11. The seeds in the blend therefore provide refuge for each other, i.e. the coleopteran protected seed and plants act as a refuge for the plants conferring lepidopteran resistance, and vice versa.

Alternatively, transgenic corn seed comprising event MON 87411 are bred to further comprise an event or transgene conferring coleopteran resistance, such as events DAS-59122-7, MIR604, or 5307; or an event conferring lepidopteran resistance, such as events MON810, MON 89034, TC1507, DAS-06275-8, MIR162, BT176, or BT11; or combinations thereof. This transgenic corn seed is then mixed with between 1% and 20% refuge seed that contain only an event or transgene conferring herbicide tolerance and lacking pest protection events or transgenes. In this case, the herbicide tolerant, insect sensitive plants grown from the refuge seed act as a refuge for the transgenic corn maize insect resistant plants.

The seed blends are planted in a field as a random mixture of the seed comprising event MON 87411 and the refuge seed not comprising event MON 87411. Alternatively, the transgenic crop seed comprising event MON 87411 are planted in a field with the refuge seed planted as a structured (separate) stand of crops. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A seed blend comprising refuge corn crop seed and at least one variety of transgenic corn crop seed in a uniform mixture, wherein the mixture consists of from about 80% to about 99% first transgenic corn crop seed, wherein the first transgenic corn crop seed comprises event MON 87411 and the refuge crop seed does not comprise said event MON 87411, and wherein a representative sample of seed corn comprising the event MON 87411 has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-12669.
 2. The seed blend of claim 1, wherein said mixture consists of from about 2% to about 5% refuge corn crop seed, from about 5% to about 10% refuge corn crop seed, from about 1% to about 10% refuge corn crop seed, or from about 10% to about 20% refuge corn crop seed.
 3. The seed blend of claim 1, wherein the refuge corn crop seed is transgenic.
 4. The seed blend of claim 3, wherein the refuge corn crop seed and the at least one variety of transgenic corn crop seed comprise a transgene that confers tolerance to at least a first herbicide.
 5. The seed blend of claim 4, wherein the herbicide is selected from the group consisting of dicamba, 2,4-D, glyphosate and glufosinate.
 6. The seed blend of claim 1, wherein the first transgenic corn crop seed comprises at least one additional transgenic event that confers pest resistance, and wherein the refuge corn crop seed does not comprise the at least one additional transgenic event.
 7. The seed blend of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event confers resistance to a lepidopteran pest.
 8. The seed blend of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event is selected from the group consisting of MON810, MON 89034, TC1507, MIR162, and BT11.
 9. The seed blend of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event confers resistance to a coleopteran pest.
 10. The seed blend of claim 9, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event is selected from the group consisting of DAS-59122-7, MIR604, and
 5307. 11. A population of plants produced by growing the seed blend of claim
 1. 12. A method for producing a refuge crop seed blend comprising: a) blending a first transgenic corn crop seed comprising event MON 87411 with a refuge crop corn seed lacking said event MON 87411; and b) ensuring a uniform mixture of the first transgenic corn crop seed and the refuge corn crop seed is provided to produce a refuge crop seed blend, wherein the mixture consists of from about 80% to about 99% first transgenic corn crop seed, and wherein a representative sample of seed corn comprising event MON 87411 has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-12669.
 13. A method for deploying a refuge crop in a field of transgenic pest resistant crops comprising: a) obtaining a seed blend according to claim 1; and b) planting said seed blend in a field.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said seed blend consists of from about 2% to about 5% refuge corn crop seed, from about 5% to about 10% refuge corn crop seed, from about 1% to about 10% refuge corn crop seed, or from about 10% to about 20% refuge corn crop seed.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the refuge corn crop seed is transgenic.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the refuge corn crop seed and the at least one variety of transgenic corn crop seed comprise a transgene that confers tolerance to at least a first herbicide.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the herbicide is selected from the group consisting of dicamba, 2,4-D, glyphosate and glufosinate.
 18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first transgenic corn crop seed comprises at least one additional transgenic event that confers pest resistance, and wherein the refuge corn crop seed does not comprise the at least one additional transgenic event.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event confers resistance to a lepidopteran pest.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event is selected from the group consisting of MON810, MON 89034, TC1507, MIR162, and BT11.
 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event confers resistance to a coleopteran pest.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional transgenic event is selected from the group consisting of DAS-59122-7, MIR604, and
 5307. 